Everybody Must Get Stoned

I really do not like to be placed into any category, but if I had to say, I would consider myself a Conservative. It's not that all of my views are, however that would be the group that I most closely identify with. But not in this case. Apparently today is National Stoner Day, dedicated to pot heads everywhere. Thousands will take to the streets to rally in support of legalizing marijuana. Although I do not smoke, I agree with them. I will lay out my case starting with the fact that enforcement has completely failed. The Federal Government should take the money used for enforcement, along with the new taxes it will receive from marijuana sales and put it to better use. We could use those funds to enforce the laws on other illegal drugs and conduct more education in our schools. My personal favorite would be a big fat tax break for working Americans. We have all heard of the threat that pot smokers pose to society. I am not using science here, but instead I will apply a lifetime of experience and observation when I say that pot smokers are not any worse than people who consume legal alcohol. In fact I prefer stoners to drunks. While I have witnessed many angry and violent drunks, I have only encountered one angry stoner. All he did was sit on the floor and mumble something unintelligible. One of the most powerful arguments against legalized marijuana is that it is thought to be a "gateway drug", meaning it is the first step that leads to the use of "harder" drugs especially amongst our youth. Again, drawing on a lifetime of experience I must disagree. Most of the pot smokers I have ever seen, have been, and will always be loyal to the gange. In addition, the White House Drug office said that marijuana use has declined about 25 percent in recent years among teens 12 to 17. Alcohol is legal and regulated, and so has the time come for marijuana to be the same. If you have doubts, just pull out a history book and see how well prohibition worked.