[poodleNtraining]

Well, I have several different views of this question.

On the one hand, if drugs were legalized, they would have to go through strenuous testing by the FDA and they'd have to be regulated. All the drugs that come in from whereever would have to be tested and have to meet a certain standard.

Drug dealers and the like would be out of business because retailers could get drugs and charge less than the dealers. Plus with so much competition, the profits to dealers would dwindle incredibly.

Crime wouldn't necessarily decrease. There would still be drugs, only they'd have to get them at the store. This will increase shoplifting and robbery, putting many more innocent lives at danger.

Lets look at prohibition. When alcohol was illegal in the 1920s, there was PLENTY of bootlegging. When the law was repealed, and the "thrill" of having something taboo was gone, alcohol use didn't dwindle, it got worse. Making something availabel to all just means more can get it and abuse it.

As far as medical benefits, that only applies to marijuana, and only for some illnesses. And marijuana IS addictive, or else it wouldn't be the illegal industry it is today. It impares judgement, makes reaction time slower, among other things. It affects the lungs and all that just like cigarettes. Yes cigarettes are probably MORE addictive, but marijuana is still addictive. Just because its "natural" doesn't mean its ok. Poison Ivy is natural. Shoot, crack comes from a plant for that matter. Tobacco is a plant. All things natural aren't good for you. And think about this, if marijuana is legalized mainstream, not just medical, they'll probably fiddle with them too, like they did tobacco, adding all kinds of crap to it to make it MORE addictive. You know how the government rolls...

But I don't think they'll ever do it, there's more money in it being illegal. More political manouvering and the like. They're not gonna give that up.