“Thanks to the war on drugs, nearly 700,000 people were arrested in the United States for possession of marijuana in 1997, while 400,000 currently sit in prison for drug crimes -- more than the entire prison population of Britain, Germany and Belgium -- for what is a consensual act. Nearly $35 billion a year is spent on arresting, prosecuting and jailing drug criminals in the US -- $400 million in Canada -- to hammer at a crime which essentially harms no one but the drug user.”

If, drug users/abusers and their dependents were constitutionally exempt from all social services (Medicaid, food stamps, Welfare, Public Housing, Social Security, Disability, etc.) and did not commit crimes to fund their "consensual acts," then perhaps Martinovich would have a valid point. Instead, he has simply evidenced a statistical correlation for his causal interpretation.

I agree to let others do their vices while at the same time as WS, Jacksonville says getting rid of all social services for them when their vices make them unable.

If a drug user breaks into my house or my car to support his habit, under a system of justice I would have the right to protect my property or my family...but we don't have that. What we have is a system of welfare and control. Its nothing but a huge scam and some people are actually stupid enough to think they are being protected...they aren't. The government doesn't give a rat's ass about your safety.

The War on Drugs, which is actually a war on people, doesn't work and has made the "cure" a hundred times worse than the "disease". And from this monstrosity was spawned the asset forfeiture laws that allow police to routinely steal private property without even charging anyone with a crime. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, LEAP.cc, was founded by a former state trooper who became an undercover drug cop when Nixon started his drug war in 1970. He later saw the harm being done and founded LEAP.

Drug use does not only harm the user! The entire family is hurt by drug use. This comment sounds exactly like something a drug user would say.

J Carlton, exactly.

Want to balance the budget? End drug prohibition and tax it. Boom. Winston certainly presents a twisted view. I believe we ARE Constitutionally exempt from being required to accept and fund social services (Medicaid, food stamps, Welfare, Public Housing, Social Security, Disability, etc.) -- they are already unconstitutional. I pay for all those services and have never used them -- now I will be told that if I smoke a joint I am disqualified? What a bunch of control freaks. I don't want your crappy social services -- I can provide those for myself and family better with my own money than the government. Half this crap will kill you anyway -- I am safer with marijuana than government services -- and they know it! ;-)

Heidi - Wichita your comment is full of blatant ignorance. I am a senior citizen who does not use drugs, nor does anyone in my family. But, we have suffered the same consequences of the so-called 'War On Drugs' that were visited on many innocents during Prohibition - Drug wars on the streets, innocents being murdered with black market guns, costly enforcement that steals the fruits of the taxpayers labor. There was a reason that Prohibition was wisely overturned and we need that same wisdom to take place today with the rescinding of the 'War On Drugs.' Jim K - I concur with your statements.

How about alcohol Heidi? Should we outlaw that too? I mean come on, alcohol is a poison and does a lot more damage all on its own than do all the other drugs combined. And of course prohibition worked so well in the 20's...

Mr. Smith hit a home run with his quote. As a former undercover narcotics investigator, I have seen the devastation caused by this poison that is certainly a threat to our national security. Simply legalizing these various substances will not mitigate the disastrous consequences associated with their use.

After hearing so much how a drug abuser has traded their own child for drugs, or has assaulted or killed a member of their own family to steal money for drugs, I certainly cannot support any sort of legalization of drugs.

Don't forget the food police. They are just getting a toehold into our lives. Soon, eating a Big Mac with fries and a coke will become a misdomeaner, then a felony if you are over a certain weight. Then you will go to a rehab camp to lose weight and get your head rewired. Go ahead and laugh. Once Obamacare goes into effect, the government can dictate to you when and how much to exercise and when, what, and how much you can eat all in the name of "for the good of society." Legalizing marijuana only makes common sense. All we do by imprisoning users and dealers is to make for better, more efficient criminals. It's like sending them to a trade school for free. Make it legal, tax it, and solve the debt problem all at the same time. We've spend billions trying to shovel sand against the sea. Hey, isn't that the definition of insanity?

We never seem to learn.

Remember the results of Prohibition?

We cannot regulate morality.

Well said,GunnyCee .

To say that drug users don't harm others is naïve at best. Drugs stay in your system. Some can come back on you. They cause impairment, poor judgment, get others killed, the doper spends his time seeking ways to get high at the expense of others, only cares for that next high. All it is, is a self indulgent to hell with others selfishness that does indeed harm others.

Growing up in a wholesome environment, turned corrupt over a period of 40 years. It is not hard to see who in society let their guard down, for the sake of profit. We as a nation are the most medicated on the planet, with the most expensive health care, the most manipulated, herded bunch of sheep. people do not pay attention to what is going on around them till it is in their face ! Conditioning ! both ends against ( us ) the middle. The doctor that delivers the baby, owns the ground you will be buried in. Drug addiction has come by way of the hospital. For they first had the drugs. Creating addicts is a way of business. To remove prohibition, one of the best moves so far. I see the result. astounding !