Maybe not ALL problems but just try stopping drung consumption in the US and you will see the sheer size of the problem, just try it, no American has what it takes

Hillary is as sharp as a ball. She is all for illegal immigration, yet wants to blame others for the bs happening in Mexico.

Crack down on drug users in America buying poison from Mexico. Close the border with Mexico. Shoot the bastards before they cross the border. Hunt d. own and deport all illegal immigrants. So harsh. Nothing any other country wouldn't do when its sovereignty is at stake. Only America lets invaders roam free.

How about shooting White LEGAL Americans who use these drugs thereby CREATING the demand too? Seriously folks you again want to blame illegals and Mexicans for our habit? Get serious. It is not like a car or a home or insurance that sells by generating ads on TV. There is no TV ad to market drugs but WE ARE STILL USING THEM. WHY? WE are pathetic and addicted to drugs like we are addicted to cheap Arab oil. And in both cases we pathetically refuse to take responsibility.

Legalize weed, kill the market for the cartels.

Why is it, that the only Democrat solution to every world problem, is to give foreign governments my tax money.?

Close the border Hillary, you MORON.

This has less to do with drugs or Mexico and more about Hillary getting back in the spotlight for a 2012 prez run. This comment didn't help Obama, nor his border positions and the one yesterday about O's deficits being a security threat to America was tossing the hammer down on him.

Expect to see more of THE SECRETARY OF STATE comments on other DOMESTIC and INTERNATIONAL ISSUES in the months ahead. And her comments will be more directed at what the current Administration HAS DONE WRONG.

I was surprised to hear her say recently that our National Deficit was a NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE....just where on this planet has she been ???

Her remarks on Mexico's drug problem is nothing more than to get additional media attention. She is preparing herself for a run at the White House in 2012.

And, if you think it is bad DOMESTICALLY and INTERNATIONALLY now, just wait IF THIS "MODERN DAY PROGRESSIVE" (as she calls herself) gets elected.

• http://www.smallgovtimes.com/story/07jul25.hillary.progressive/index.html

Our wonderful, our myopic Secretary of State has finally discovered there is "insurgency" in Mexico. I must believe she understands that word and realizes that if that is true, Mexico will soon want American troops to defend it from a revolution.

Felipe Calderon will cuddle up to her, send kisses and best wishes to Obamasan and ZOOM, there go our troops. One more country for America to attack.

Oh, well, maybe Hillary will keep this one for our 51st state.

The Obama administration has also promised additional help, including programs to prevent guns from flowing southwards

Obama is attacking this problem with his usual backdoor genius that nobody is smart enough to see.

They must have their own inside resource considering it was about 20 years ago when the American Government deemed it necessary to go into Columbia and train all these Gorilla Warfare people all they know and now using against us in the USA.

America does not have clean hands by no means. America created this mess, and if you think America is trying to stop the drug trafficking, they are the ones behind it and supporting it by continuing to sell fire arms to these people.

This is an inside American job. No one to blame but the good ole USA.

hey Bob Randall : Don't you know COCAINE COMES FROM COLOMBIA-VENEZUELA-PERU ? ? ? oH ! and Bob: Restraint yourself of using name calling ( Im telling you now because its kind of sicking when bloggers collapse your comment).

Though I do not care much for Hillary Clinton, I must come to her defense. When it comes to talking about the drug traffic trade, there are few better qualified (still alive that is) than the Clintons to pontificate on the topic, particularly when comparing it to what it was like some 20+ years ago. Just ask the good citizens of Mena, Arkansas about their history and experiences during Governor Clintons time in the seat of power at the state capital. And dozens of other mysterious casualties of those having knowledge of involvement in one or more of the Clinton scandals.

Forgetting that Bill Clinton was the first president in the nation's history to fire every U.S. Attorney in the country, in addition to the fact that he was also the first president to summarily dismiss the FBI director, might help one to better focus on an even cloudier future with Hillary at the helm. And that indeed is her goal. Make no mistake about it folks. Barack Obama serving a second term was never the intention of those who actually control this country. Hillary in 2012 is definitely in the making. She'd be the first one I'd expect to kick the chair out from underneath Barack Obama at the first most opportune time. Right now she is busy taking advantage of her present office and laying the groundwork for such an event. This is the stuff that the lamestream media has been frothing to sink their teeth into - A media blitz of unprecedented proportion. It's all part of the rich pageantry of the Washington elite. And whether you're interested in attending or not is of little concern to them.

A very short memory helps fulfill their agenda most admirably. Believe me, they are counting on it!

Now there is a brilliant statement. Obama makes a decision based on what the U.S. can do and you think he should waste his time in a pointless dispute over whose fault it is. You should get a Darwin award! Perhaps if Arizona gun dealers would slow the supply of weapons it would clip the cartel's power a little. But no, blame Obama because after all they should be free market and be able to sell automatic weapons to anyone they want! Blame it on the peasants because they came here to work on a farm so you can get fat!

The ATF is totally aware that guns are geing sold to illegal aliens all across America and they do nothing to stop it from happening. But doesn't the ATF work for Hillery and Obama? The law used to be the law before we got all this specialization. A cop can't ask a purchaser for ID to prove citizenship status when he thinks he has just witnessed a felony happen for fear of a lawsuit. This is how 9/11 happened. I'm not so worried about them selling guns across the border as I am worried at them creating a illegal army here. Feds need to stay in Washington and let us govern our own states. Drop the Arizona lawsuit Barack.

Mexico is none of our bsns.-we need 2 let them solve their own problems. All u people who want 2 blame this country 4 other countries problems need 2 get the @!$%# out of our country & leave the rest of us alone. Personally, I think they need 2 legalize drugs & do away with the criminal aspects of it. Besides, what the hell makes u people think there r no addicts in other countries? In every country of the world there is addiction. It's not just us. And if Mexico did'nt sell 2 us, they would sell 2 someone else. 90% of the people locked up in our country 2-day are costing us 100's of billions of dollars are in jail for personal use of drugs. Now which one of these people put a gun to a Mexicans head & said sell me that dope? Answer-none. Those chose to sell drugs. & our gov. gets rich by busting demand instead of supply. But once again-if u don't like America get out! But plz take our tree-huggers & animal rights activists with u. They've obviously did 2 much dope.

@Bob Randall-1218482

Just curious, what is the percentage of people fleeing from the trouble the cartels are causing at mexico to the united states versus the actual drug cartels crossing over?

That's good Robert but I hope you don't reproduce! Kids will have to live in the world you leave them. The only way you can't see that is if you have only one brain cell or you're a kid! As far as the cartel goes if they can't sell enough drugs here they will resort to kidnapping, which they have already done!

Moakler, I would remind you gun law enforcement is the state's responsibility! That's why the law varies from state to state. Do you want to make the case that the federal government should control gun sales? That would go over real big with the Palin crowd! For the most part ATF has kept out of state business since the Reagan years! Maybe you could ask Obama if he wants to change that. Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, and California all have an obligation to enforce their own laws! The border is federal business.

Wait a minute, I'm a tree hugger and animal rights activists. That has nothing to do with the drug problem. I watched Boarder Wars tonight on TV, and a lot of blame is Americans. We will never rid the US of drug addicts (no I don't want to legalize it. Just what American needs more crime and violence). I still say we should put a fence up, with orders, shoot to kill. The Great Wall of China and the Berlin Wall kept people out.Many people were killed by the gaurds manning the Wall. We have become a nation of wussies. Get tough! Although Hillary talks tough, I don't think she has the cajones to do anything.

Legalize pot and you will put a huge dent in the cartels' money machine. Legalize all illegal drugs and you will destroy the cartels completely. We don't learn from our own history. Alcohol prohibition created the most powerful organized crime syndicates the world had ever seen...and the end of prohibition kicked the financial legs out from under them.

To Lincoln Albert - The big pharmaceuticals STARTED and CONTROL the "legalized" Drugging of Americans. Selling All kinds of mind altering, "mood leveling" and "make me happy" drugs is what they do. So the drug cartels see a $100Billion dollar market Already setup for them, Advertising paid for in EVERY Media, It is a Shoe In for them and they are feeding the custom made American drug consumption mania. They can't Lose because so many Americans are walking Drug Bags consuming the SH!T.

h2i4g7h

"Legalize weed, kill the market for the cartels."

Weed isn't the problem. The problem is fools who think all drugs are fine, until affected by the crime surrounding them. The fools think legalization will solve prblems but they never consider the end game.

When you become addicted to meth, what will be your endgame then? Death? Incarceration? steeling from family? Idiots have no clue, think only of the free high.

Most guns going to mexico DO NOT come from America........check it out before siding with the anti-gun wing nuts.

But she said that Central American and Caribbean leaders were increasingly voicing the same concerns, and in some cases lacked the institutional capacity to fight back.

thats because the ones able to help, ran like chickens and crossed into the US. Then have the nerve to say we need to adopt Spanish as a 2ndary language....lol. can we say LAZY AND WORTHLESS??? oh i know, oicking those veggies in the hot sun is haaaard work. real work is growing your own in your OWN counrty, THEN taking a STAND, to protect them, just like it was back in the old days. So quick to gather here in America to protest, yet, too chicken to take to the streets in your own HOMELAND!

Here's an idea for the immigrants who want a free pass.... The military should make it a requirement you go fight your own wars, before free-passing here. Show you have a set, and are willing to do what it takes to be a hero for your own people, before comeing here, and slamming ours!

Personally i'm getting sick of hearing the poor illegals.... they cry they have rights? sure do, now go wait in line like the rest of the people who want to come here. You have $$ to pay a smuggler to drag your a$$ over here, but no $$ to pay to legally come? GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM! I will have more respect for you.... not much, but enough i wouldnt break your arms waiting for ICE to come pick your sry a$$ up.

Hey Jimbo you seem to want to blame White Americans for all of the problems. I am sure they smoke, Snort, shoot their fair share but they are not the only ones to blame.

Someone should give Hillary an award for the most obvious relevation of the year! Given this breaking news about violence in mexico, I wonder what her stance is on protecting our borders???? There's too much money to be made with all the mayhem going on in our southern border with drugs, human trafficking and weapons sales. I'm sure Hillary and most people in our government are getting their cut on this mess, so most likely nothing will get done, the border will continue to be more and more dangerous.

GentlemanJim--

Do you honestly think only white legal Americans use drugs? Take a good look all around you!

@ Everyone who seems to think that this is all the users' faults--

Yeah, partially, but just because someone demands something doesn't mean you HAVE to supply it.

Barn Storming?
Banana Slipping?
Burn Signaling?
Baby Smoking?
Bozos Sailing?

Gosh, Ted, I just can't figure out what "Hillery" is doing. But I do know where she's been the past 20 years: http://www.hillaryclinton.com/

Peace.

Gee Ted when was the last time you were there? I've been there plenty of times all over Mexico and there has been a lot that changed just in five years. Your statement comes from an armchair in front of your television while you're drinking beer!

ed = below average Sorry but when the dims will not allow the states to enforce laws and jurisdiction you fail. If you have to give amnesty and allow felons to get "buy" votes fail again.

car556: Stealing an entire election from the popular vote (aka, 2000) and then stealing it again with ballot fixing (aka, 2004) -- we all failed!

Ed-543056,

The Electoral College decides who is elected President, NOT the popular vote. Read your US Constitution.

Actually, your bad. The Center for Investigative Journalism found in 2001 that Al Gore had the popular votes in Florida (on recount) to swing the electoral college vote his way. Even today, there are concerns of manipulation in that vote via Jeb Bush's campaign manager who also was the head of state elections. However, the investigation and vote review was prematurely closed on December 12 due to legal challenges brought by Bush and by a Supreme Court decision. You will also note that one of Al Gore's Washington DC electoral college voters abstained, further harming our system.

The issue is not the electoral college, which would have worked fine. The issue is fraud on a massive scale and a real subversion of our democratic system.

And Bill never inhaled. Did Monica? No, she spit.

Ted Davis...You hit the nail on the head...which is more than any can say for Hillary. The fact that she has just come to this epiphany is just astounding.

I suppose that when car bombings rather than pointed violence and be-headings are the clue to take notice you have been in Washington too long.

Wrong.

Legalize and the demand will increase faster than domestic supply can keep up. That means more imported drugs from Mexico and Canada. California ain't got no BC Bud!!

boris....wow. With people having your attitude on this subject, makes all of you murderers. Todd is right. Legalizing anything will create more business for any cartel.

Yeap you are right, there you now more and more people may understand the problem. good comment boris

Boris has the right idea...

koobie, Todd, and Jack...don't have a clue..

Legalizing booze did not increase demand.

It did regulate it and take the money out of the mobs...

Booze related killing (st valentines day massacre) and those like it became history instead of daily news..

before you spout retoric of your own go back to school and learn a little history...

no son of a gun, you are a son of a bitch. Do you ever see the US making cocaine in the future? How about you work get a real job and see how things work. My bad, that's probably to crazy, right?

I wonder if Senator Boxer's aide had LEGALIZED or "Cartel Provided" marijuana when they caught him entering a Senate office building (see below link). ???

Maybe he was also "providing" drugs to Administration staff and members of Congress since they certainly have come up with some "out of this world" legislation.

• http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39067064/ns/local_news-san_francisco_bay_area_ca/

Maybe the Secretary of the State could keep her plane in the hangar for awhile and "hang around the Senate chambers" for awhile.

CORRECT!!! Just like during alcohol prohibition, people were robbing, scamming and killing over the ILLEGAL alcohol trade. When it was legalized and regulated, the violence associated with obtaining alcohol diminished. That said, we need to secure our border. These so-called insurgents likely live in the US, and wage their wars across the border in Mexico. We are very friendly to ILLEGAL aliens in this country. Obumer should use some of his stimulus $ to build a 40ft high wall from California to the Gulf of Mexico. Just think how many jobs that would create!

boris-288740 --

Not very clear thinking there, boris. If we legalize all these drugs then the cost to our populace should be no more nanny state. Make your way in our society, move away from it, just quit drugs or die and get it over with.

Don't you believe that hopped up drivers (who don't have much in the way of judgement if they use drugs to deny the existence of living) will be safe on our highways or byways.

So some government official would want a "War On Hopped Up Drivers" and there go more billions.

Try again, please.

Legalize it, tax it and regulate it.

I'm for legalizing drugs, and regulating them as we do alcohol.What a person does to their own body is their own business.However they should be held accountable for their actions.Just like with alcohol.If you harm someone else because you acted irresponsible while under the influence you should have to pay a steep price.If you supply any controlled substance to a minor again you should pay a steep price.Their will still be violence associated with trade in drugs,just as their is with alcohol and tobacco that is hijacked by organized crime.The same can be said about any stolen commodity that is obtained and sold.How ever the violence would most probably be vastly decreased,as it was with the repeal of prohibition. We could always put a sunset clause on the legislation.If under a reasonable amount of time it is shown either not to have worked,or made matters worse we could repeal the law.

Does anyone have numbers to back the idea that the US police force is propped up by drug violence?

Or a case study that backs the idea that drug demand and violence will decrease if it's legalized?

I've seen Amsterdam used in this argument a lot... But last I heard, they were outlawing drugs (and prostitution) because of the social problems it causes.

Well Denmark legalized certain drugs and addiction went down and so did use. I guess that blows that theory out of the water! Their tax revenue went up too!

Think about our prison numbers, our tax money goes to arrest, house, convict, drug users and the drug problem is still here,always will be. Theres a knew drug user being born every day. The way of life in the usa is the problem at large , the rich, middle class and the pour use drugs. Its the way of life for a great number and it will never go a way until were all locked up and put away. Change the thinking, Change the habits, and instill new values in our kids, and give treatment a chance to help the ones that no nothing else in life. Life in the usa sucks for quite a few. No jobs ,disabilitys, kids that are born to parents that don;t want them, and divorce. Change the way americans live's and instill better morals , and maybe get god back into our live's. Stop the war stop, the hate, Legalize drugs and teach our kids right from wrong and don't show bad examples ,the things that most americans show. Give love peace hope a chance and I bet things will start to change for the good. KEEP OUR DOLLARS IN THE USA 1

You really want some coked up people behind the wheel of a car? Or maybe murdering because he needs more money for drugs? Lay down your bong, and try to understand things. Unless your brain is already fried, then it's the same as talking to a farm animal.

And a reply to Squidword,Amsterdam just changed its policy on drugs. They are now no longer legal. The drug problem just got out of hand. They even moved all the brothels to one small section of town. Guess that blows your theory. Huh

Well Petunia Einstein you really have to get up a little earlier to keep your foot out of that mouth!

Situation changed recently in regard to the hallucinogenic mushrooms (also known as magic mushrooms or paddos), the sale of which has been forbidden starting November 1, 2008. Almost 200 different mushrooms were forbidden and are presently regarded by the Dutch drug law (so called Opiumwet – Opium Act) as dangerous as cocaine or heroine. Never really considered as drugs before, the paddos were previously sold by the so called smart shops along with popular natural medicines as Ginkgo Biloba, Guarana, Cola, some herbs, food additives and vitamins. The decision to stop their sale has been taken after almost a hundred cases were recorded each year, when the medical help has been required linked to the consumption of paddos in Amsterdam only, involving mainly foreign tourists. Tragically, three of these cases ended as serious accidents, one of them in the tragic death of the 17-year old French girl. Hundreds of people demonstrated in Amsterdam against the ban, before it had been introduced. The municipality of Amsterdam, fearing the under counter sales, was against the ban proposing instead three days of waiting period before every purchase. This proposal has not been accepted. Today the hallucinogenic mushrooms are forbidden in the Netherlands, along with the hard drugs.

The problem is both supplier and consumer. Shoot them both. Problem solved. Those who think drugs like meth should be legalized should be shot twice.

Did you finish reading the whole article? And by the way, it's not Petunia Einstein, it's Petunia Mensa.

Agreed those are jobs created out of greed not out of need.

Do any of you really think that ending prohibition didn't increase alcohol consumption? I'm pretty sure the fact that you would no longer go to jail for possessing or using alcohol, plus the fact that it became widely available to the average person increased consumption. The main reason most people in the US don't do illegal drugs is because they are illegal. Last I checked they don't have a Breathalyzer for drugs, so how do you determine if someone is intoxicated and shouldn't be driving that school bus, flying that plane, performing surgery, etc. Which drugs do you legalize? Meth? Crack? Heroine? I'm all for individual responsibility, but legalizing something tells people that it's all right to do, and smoking Meth is NOT all right no matter how you look at it.

Oh, I think there are enough diseases to keep the Docs in Cheerios.

Diabetics along can keep Doctors busy.

More than 28,000 people dead? OMG its a PANDEMIC, it already worse than swine flu. Why havn't we heard anything from the CD or WHO? We need an experimental bullet vaccine ASAP. one that might kill 50,000 people who take it but the numbers could have been higher if they did nothing.

actually it was the bush admin that nearly bankrupted us.....memorys kind of short isn't it?

drug consumption won't change much unless the underlying social conditions change and given that we have a fair portion of US population that thinks progressing civil society is a bad thing. I don't think much will really change.

Sorry everysome, the price tag your God racked-up in his first two years exceeds the total spending of the previous 2 administrations combined. PRAISE BE TO ALLAHBAMA!!!

Bush can't touch the spending Obama has done, stop being a partisan hack. Sure Bush spent too much, but to just say "look at what he did" is childish. Same thing with the border, Bush screwed the pooch on that one too, but Obama is taking it to a whole new level with suing Arizona and stopping the fence building. Again, didn't your Mom teach you that two wrongs do not make a right?

ok paul, you must be one of the ones doing the drugs!!!!! and kevin!!! have you ever had an original thought? does someone dictate to you what to write?

Actually Kevin, you are wrong. "Emotional issues" like abortion, same-sex marriage and RACISM are being used to FEAR AND HATRED=Divide and Conquer. An old political strategy USED FOR DECADES FOR THE CONSERVATIVE/TEABAGGERS/REPUBLICANS just to DIVERT ATTENTION FROM THE REAL ISSUE, unfortunately abortion and gay marriage have lost traction so...

I believe GUILT IS BULLING reason strong enough for GOP to covert up their RESPONSABILITY.

Did you notice that GOP is ready to embrace same-sex marriage ?

And the tantrum about the muslim mosque in Ground Zero ? Nothing. cero. nada. WHY ? Because now Saudi Prince Al-waleed bin Talal own the largest stake in Fox News ( lol... What the conservatives nationalist would be feeling about it ) .

Does anyone know if he is related to the Bin Laden Family ?

Arizona, such indignation... I never insulted you... shame on you. Get help. Opinions are like... well you know (mine included- disregard it if you like as I don't really give a Rats A$$ what others think, this is just a thought).... I support the Gov. of Ariz and the residents as well... they deserve more protection than this (and previous ones including Mr and Mrs Clinton) gov't is willing to give. If you have a brain as you claim, you must see the total corruption south of the border... As a resident of Texas, we face the same problem.... ever been to El Paso??? Brownsville? My company only sent those of us with training to those cities for fear we would be injured. If we don't stop it at the current border, the new border will be further north......

BUT it's time this administration stopped blaming and did something about it......

Justice4men why don't you show some actual numbers that have verifiable sources to back up the misinformation you stated on the spending comments? Bush and the repubs with the spineless dems not stopping it took our economy, treasury, and national reputation into a place we'll be lucky if we ever recover from. The facts are simple. Look at what Bush started with then squandered in his 8 years of hell and then look at what Obama inherited and see who we should be complaining about.

No they are suing Arizona for trying to trump federal authority. Immigration is a federal issue not a state one!

No Justice you have a math problem! Bush left with a debt of 1.5 trillion dollars for his war plus his bailout to the banks and Fanny and Freddy! Another 3/4 of a trillion dollars. In Obama's 1.8 years less than 1/5 of that is his created debt. How short your memory is and how lame too since the bailout Bush did was one of the only things he did right!

everysome

"actually it was the bush admin that nearly bankrupted us.....memorys kind of short isn't it?"

Oh really? Checked the deficit since the anointed one you elected

No???

"drug consumption won't change much unless the underlying social conditions change and given that we have a fair portion of US population that thinks progressing civil society is a bad thing. I don't think much will really change."

Only idiots use drugs. Only the left keeps blaming Bush.

Only fools think they have the answers. What are you? No need to answer.

Um, who was the president that signed into law the repeal of glass steagall? And who was the president that signed into law the modification of the fair housing lending act to allow people who could not afford their mortgages to get loans? oh yeah, I remember! It was that Bill Clinton Guy. wasn't he a DEMOCRAT? hmmm, so things were set into motion before Bush by a Democrat.

everysome: memory's kind of short isn't it?

actually it's selective! Media Sheep, only can remember the lies that are spoon fed by the media. Can you explain to me how Bush almost bankrupted us, when it was a Democratic controlled Congress and Senate? oops and Obama was one of em! And he is planning on spending more than EVERY single president before him combined. Looks like the party of "No We Can't" is going to loose control next election!

Didn't they already attempt do this? Well, sort of anyways. I mean isn't that why Border Patrol is everywhere in Socal?

Great point!

NonCryingSuperHeroXD

"Didn't they already attempt do this? Well, sort of anyways. I mean isn't that why Border Patrol is everywhere in Socal?"

Bush started the fences, obumer ended them. Maybe you should pay attention,

auto sentry gun's with thermal / motion sensors and auto fire. two fences and anything in between is dead! 10's of 1000's of land mines buried at different random depths in the "No one Zone" to slow tunneling. ground sensors to detect tunneling. Pass the: Pay Your Own Deportaion Bill

Yeah, blame it all on Bush. We had problems before him, too.

Yes there were problems before him. After all the GOP controlled Congress for a decade and had eight years of Bush too and nothing got accomplished! Hmmm Obama had 1.5 and barely control of Congress while facing Republican obstructionism but yet ...how is it his fault or Hilary's for that matter? Wasn't she a Senator from New York? Hmm what does that have to do with the border?

The Dem's gained control in January 2007. Clinton and Obama were both in Congress during that time. They were part of the problem. You Dem's always conveniently forget that...........

Squidword

"Yes there were problems before him. After all the GOP controlled Congress for a decade and had eight years of Bush too and nothing got accomplished! Hmmm Obama had 1.5 and barely control of Congress while facing Republican obstructionism but yet ...how is it his fault or Hilary's for that matter? Wasn't she a Senator from New York? Hmm what does that have to do with the border?"

And 20 out of 30 years of dem control in congress before him. Drug went wild. You are probabaly a consumer. Viva la Methidone

Looks like Robocop came true.

The government would do just what they have always done with a new source of revenue. Piss it away and call for more taxes. I am not against legalization just know that giving politicians a new source of revenue will not solve our deficit.

Ok, get rid of the sh**head politicians then legalize! Just keep the religious nut jobs out of office!

Legalizing and taxing sounds good. But if taxes increase the cost, what's to keep people from buying illegally if they can do so more inexpensively? Just wondering.

Because Americans are all about convenience. If it is readily available it will be easier to get than chasing Joe Drug Lord to save a few bucks. Same with grow your own, there will be a few horticulture nuts that will grow their own but most will just purchase it to forego the mess of growing it.

Legalize drugs so its easier to get so more people will start stealing from friends and family to support their habits, and the drug cartel will traffic people as work and sex slaves instead. and or they will just under cut prices to keep the black market alive and wow we would be exactly where we are now just things would be worse. sounds like a plan!

How about get some balls and quit your habit and stop supporting the drug trafficking.

They've been trying it for 70 years already, keep doing the same thing expecting a different result.

I'm sure it's all whitey's fault D-bag!

BS mexicans consume there fair share of drugs and most of the trafficing and sales. Do u think the cartels deliver to whites or blacks.

G Jim, why notmake murder legal. Or money laundering, forced prostitution, kidnapping or just plain stupidity? OK, I understand your stupidity and that of others, but why can't you learn to understand that legalizing drugs won't solve any of these problems? They are all connected but the ignorant will always find an excuse to justify them, Until it hits home. After that they will ask why somebody didn't do something.

When your brother, sister, duaghter or son, maybe mother or father dies because you thought someething should be legal, what are you going to say then? Stupidity is easy,

Nobody ever died from marijuana,aspirin kills over 400 people a year.

Nobody ever died from marijuana

any we know this because? oh thats right they don't track deaths related to MJ. If your smoking weed and drive off a cliff. you died because you drove off a cliff. but if your drinking and drive off a cliff you died because you were drinking. odd double standard.

what if someone kills someone to steal their stash? Didn't weed kill that person?

No.

Stupidity is easy Jim. Maybe you will wake up in the morning.

Problem is the general population down there has very limited access to firearms...

An unarmed population are sitting ducks for the corrupt governments and criminals who have access to weapons.... that is why our government wants to do away with them....

Trying to find a intelligent discussion to follow... this will do.

If you need to compare Columbia to Mexico, it was the Colombians who took out the cartels because once the U.S. special forces confronted Escobar the people started to massacre the cartels for all their oppression.

As for weapons, the U.S. is not the only manufacturer in the western hemisphere. Brazil can do it also and the weapons are cheaper. So in that sense Brazil also has to monitor what goes out of the country.

Finally, Mexico is not much different of a country then the U.S. They too won there independence from foreign rule. The problem is that their quality of living is not matched by our standards. So we have a mass migration problem, where people just want the same opportunities. So I believe Mexico is more deserving of foreign aid more than any other country so that maybe one day, with western contributions, Mexico can have the same quality of life that we possess. If that were to happen, then I believe that immigration will become less of a problem.

Amazingly put. I agree.

Hey I got an Idea lets put Bush senior back in charge of the CIA and get Colin Powell out of retirement, that will slow down the drugs coming into the country.

Correction They should put Bush senior back in charge of the CIA and bring Oliver North out of retirement that should slow down the drugs and guns down coming into the country.

Interestingly enough, B senior was implicated in the drug trade all the way back when he pretended to be in the oil biz in Texas. They ran drugs and funded black ops projects. Remember all that Central American stuff that went on? Selling guns to the Indians, putting a strongman like Noriega in charge in Panama (until he got too big for his britches and thought he actually WAS in charge), and so on.............?

There is an obvious ascendancy that runs all the way up to, but not including, Obama. Obama is going to fulfill his place in history by being the worst elected leader ever, and that's saying a LOT. Whenever he has finished making his messes, the electorate will RUN back to the Repubs and never complain again. Or at least not the rich ones.

flylow u got that right !!!!

Was really hoping Colin Powell would have run. I would have voted for him.

It's "Barack Hussein Obama II". Attack with knowledge.

LAOS DEO... You, yourself are not very intellectual if you are asking that question... It is not intellect what is needed to tackle the problem. There is nothing intellectuals can do if "key people" in power are corrupted and doing "double work". Unfortunatelly, that is the reality for Mexico. It would take a whole decade of firing and hiring new politicias, law enforcement, reporters, attorneys, etc. in order to clean the mess... It is not easy!

The program I watched tonigh on TV, stated they make Meth. It's more additive than Herion, and harder to try and get off the drug.

I'm as liberal as a Honda driver in Seattle, but I couldn't agree with you more. The US is on the border with a country descending into a war zone. It's very serious. Frankly, we should pull our troops out of the Middle East and protect our borders. But hey, that's just me.

In the meantime, I've got two words for you: "Concealed Weapon". What the Feds won't provide, the Constitution will.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_keep_and_bear_arms

I think one of the main problems is entitlements without testing. We take tax dollars from working people and give it to drug dealers who show no income. Also, we give it to drug addicts and feed their addiction with mine and your money. Seems and little insane to me.

Well stated.

Totally agreed, If you have to take a drug test to get a job you should be taking one to get welfare/disabilty/SS.

Not saying the drug laws should not be re-vised, but do not go from one extreme to the next. Please do some research on other countries that tried to legalize everything. It does not work!

IT DOES WORK!

I have done the research and it has worked. I could say the same for you, sir. Do some research before you post your ignorance.

For going to one extreme to the other all I have to say is look at the Prohibition of alcohol in the 20s and 30s. It's the same thing happening today but on a much larger scale. When Prohibition ended and alcohol was regulated and taxed, the violence and trafficking stopped.

So what are your ideas to fix the problem? Harsher laws? Yeah, that worked like a charm when the government did that when Reagan was in office. Not!

Locking people up and putting a permanent mark on their record definitely does not help. It certainly helps those in power in our govenment: Disenfranchised felons, the more the better, can't vote the crooks out of office.

very true elliot - the ones who advocate yet more law enforcement are people like the prison guards, who in california make over $100K per year. we are locking up more of our population than any other country from a % standpoint and all we are doing is destroying lives, many times for just trafficking etc. sure if someone commits a violent crime and deprives me of my property or liberty they need to be locked up...but for drugs? its a huge failed machine and its going to crash...it cant sustain itself.

OneDirtyRat..............So, you think that when Prohibition ended it put all the mobsters out of business? Really, what history book are you reading from? Did you know that there are still today as you read this, people in the hills still making illegal moonshine? Maybe they haven't heard that prohibition has ended............ Maybe the Mafia hasn't heard the news yet either.......

Now, let's say that all drugs were legalized for the sake of argument. Now what happens, surely you are not so stupid as to think that the drug cartels will be out of business. No one is that stupid......maybe

What else do you think will happen? can you say death rate of our teens rise dramatically. And I'll be willing to bet that the overdose death rate at least triples in just the first year. Our city morgues will be filled to capacity all the time, our police force and corners, EMT's and hospitals will be using almost all of their resources to deal with all the over doses.

What about all the new accidents that people will have while driving high? What? You say make it illegal to drive while your high? Don't we have a law about that concerning alcohol, and that doesn't seem to slow the drunk drivers down..........

Hey, but you are right about something good coming out of this. The mortuary's will make a killing....so to speak.

OneDirtyRat.......just so you know, the mobsters didn't make the alcohol. they smuggled it from the Caribbean (rum) and hi-jacked trucks from Canada where it was legal. Some mobsters even bought moonshine from you know who......The Gangsters were responsible for the purchasing,and distribution of alcohol. And get this, they still do it today.........just so you know

LoneRanger: Um, I don't think we have a real problem with a few moonshiners compared to the real problem of illegal drug trafficking. And yes, I do know that once alcohol was regulated and taxed it ended the profits for organized crime thus ending the violence associated with it. Maybe you need to check your history book again.

Ending the Drug War will not just put an end to the cartels, I agree. But if we regulate and tax drugs here in the U.S. and take them off the black market that will take away the drug cartels funding. This would be a step in the right direction to help ending the powerful drug cartels. The cartels make 40 billion a year in drug trafficking and with drugs made legal that money would evaporate overtime. The Drug War created the cartels because of illegal drug trafficking.

Once drugs were legalized this wouldn't mean people would run out to start doing drugs. This is because we now educate people on the ills of using certain drugs. If drugs were legalized, they would be treated like alcohol and would be illegal for minors to use. As it stands now children can access drugs easier with them being illegal. If regulated like alcohol, drugs would become difficult for minors to obtain, So your thinking the OD rate for minors would triple is just plain ridiculous.

It would be illegal to drive under the influence of any drug including alcohol. But just so you know, people drive under the influence of drugs now so I don't see how there would be a rash of accidents as you claim. I agree there might be a slight increase in DUIs or accidents for someone who has tried drugs for the first time and gets behind the wheel. But, again, I don't think there will be many people running out to try drugs just because they are made legal. And that's because of education.

Education is the key to keep people from using dangerous drugs. I'm talking about hard drugs like meth, coke, and heroin. Marijauna isn't a hard drug and should have never been made illegal in the first place. With education people will learn the very negative consequences of using hard drugs and will choose not to do them whether they are illegal or not.

So your comments do not really hold much water. At best you are grossly exaggerating.

Stop the insanity! End the Drug War! Just Say Now! Pass Proposition 19!

Without getting into a debate, I would just wonder how similar legalizing drugs would be to blood diamonds. If you legalize it, demand will grow and bad people will try to fund their wars with drugs. As the article stated there is 40 billion in profit and that sure would buy a lot of guns and escalate violence.

Every way I look at it, it just doesn't add up, the cons far outweigh the pros. I have a lot of friends who would agree with you and it certainly doesn't hurt to disagree with them. Although I am not here to debate, you claim to be knowledgable on the situation so would you care to list your pros?

OneDirtyRat.......you say I need to read my history again, show me please where my facts are wrong? The Mob still regulates where the bar owners in NYC buys their liquor from, who they get to haul it. If you don't think they do, it's not my fault you are trying to be naive.

Educate kids, Yeah like that really works. Teach them about dope then they start sniffing paint, teach them the evils of that and they start huffing aerosols. I can see my education dollars hard at work there.

Kids find buying illegal drugs easier than getting alcohol or cigarettes? What world do you live in?

Here is one more fact for you.....Prohibition was not lifted in order to battle crime. Did you get that, Prohibition was not lifted in order to battle crime. It was lifted shortly after the stock market crash of 1929 in order to created new jobs and new sales taxes for the government to help fight the depression.

You keep saying you know history and none of us do, why not stop and just google Prohibition or the Great Depression and learn a little.........it may help,.......... maybe

So am I to assume that you are for making alcohol illegal as well?

Are you for perpetuating the spectacularly failed and costly Drug War?

Do you have any propositions to solve the current problems with drugs?

And if you say just stop using them, I'll laugh so hard and I will ignore anything else you have to say.

Please answer my questions.

Don't we need new jobs and sales taxes now?

So why would I be for making alcohol illegal? Are you going to use the tired argument that alcohol is a drug? Or are you going to say that marijuana is no worst than alcohol. Apples and oranges and you know it. I will say that I am for a stiffer and mandatory jail time for all DUI's including first time offenses! And a mandatory life sentence to all DUI's that involve a death of another.

Do I have any propositions? Do you mean proposals to solve the drug problem. No, because I do not know all the facts. and I'm sure you do not have all the answers involve in legalizing the drugs. So far all I've heard from you are some inaccurate facts about history and just legalize the drugs. Didn't some one ask you to list the pros to legalizing them? You want your questions answered yet we do not see you answering question put to you. Why?

And as I am sure you know, I've said that while I don't have the magic answer to stop the drug wars I do know that throwing billions of dollars to the foreign governments to fight their drug problems is not the answer. Over the last ten years we've given the Mexican government enough money to fight their drug problem, that had we just given it to the drug cartels to stop making drugs they would probably have been ahead of the game.

SonofMollyM.........No, we don't need the new jobs and sales tax. Had Bush and Obama let the banking institutions fail, the car manufactures fail (GM and Chrysler) and let the stock market crash then yes I could have seen clear of legalizing marijuana to create new jobs and taxes. But they didn't, and you can't go back and un-ring the bell. I can visualize it right now, the stock market crashed, US legalizes marijuana, and every one is driving their fords getting high. What a picture that would have been.....

LoneRanger: here is a link you should check out and you can get all your facts here:

http://www.drugpolicy.org/homepage.cfm

And yes, I'm sorry. I meant proposals. Thank you for correcting me.

Actually alcohol IS a drug. And I know for a fact that alcohol is much worse than marijuana in every aspect. I asked if you were for making alcohol illegal because you are so against drug use that you must be for making alcohol illegal since it kills so many people every year. etc.

OK let's get something straight. I never said legalizing drugs would get rid of organized crime. Legalizing drugs would take a big bite out of organized crime. The ending of Prohibition didn't get rid of the mob or organized crime but it did end a very violent era in ouir history surrounding the prohibition of alcohol. Are you going to refute that? Can you admit that since the onset of the Drug War there has been a huge increase in violence and organized crime surrounding it? Sure, organized crime went on to other criminal activity and I'm sure they are involved with some form of trafficking in illegal booze sales, but it is not on the scale it was when Prohibition was the law. Once alcohol was taxed and regulated by the government people didn't need to turn to criminals to get their booze. Ending Prohibition didn't end organized crime but it sure did end many major problems with illegal bootlegging and the violence associated with it. Your claims that it hasn't are totally inaccurate. You are twisting the facts to refute my statements about ending the drug war to destabilize the criminal activity surrounding the illegal trafficking of drugs.

Here is a list of the positives of ending the drug war and legalizing drugs:

1) We would stop throwing away billions of tax payer dollars every year on a failed Drug War.

2) We would stop wasting tax payer dollars on court costs and incarceration.

3) With drugs made legal and regulated the U.S. could bring in billions of tax revenue.

4) With drugs legal we could free up much needed jail space.

5) We could stop spending tax payer dollars on building more prisons.

6) We could increase funding into education into the dangers of drug abuse to hard drugs like heroin, meth, cocaine, etc.

7) We could increase funding into rehabilitation for people with serious drug addictions.

8) We could stop treating drug users as criminals and for those people with serious drug addictions as medical patients and get them the help they needed where they would have avoided because of the worry over being busted. It would save lives.

9) Law enforcement could focus their resources of fighting violent crimes, rape, etc. instead of going after non-violent drug users.

10) With more needle exchanges available it would decrease the HIV infection rate from people using shared needles.

11) a)With drugs legal it would cut out the profits of the Mexican cartels, the drug gangs, and organized crime.

b)It would put an end to violence associated with illegal drug trafficking.

12) A whole new industry could be created by taking advantage of the thousands of uses of hemp and create thousands of jobs and save the environment, too.

12) With drugs legal there could be more studies and research done into the medicinal properties of now illegal drugs which has been impeded by the current prohibition.

13) We could stop the DEA from prosecuting doctors whom they claim are over prescribing pain medications to pain suffers. Shouldn't the trained doctor know what's best for his patients, not the DEA? People could get the pain meds they need to be able to function from day to day.

14) We could finally remove the stigma attached to drug users and stop calling them worthless druggies and start calling them what they really are....human beings.

15) Drug users wouldn't have criminal records that would follow them for the rest of their lives making it harder for them to get jobs, get student financial aid, etc. so they can become productive tax paying members of society instead of a burden.

16) With drugs being regulated like alcohol it would make it much harder for children and minors to obtain them where now they can get them from the street dealer who doesn't care how old his buyers are.

17) Legalizing drugs would put an end to the disparity of the number of arrests compared to blacks vs. whites. Currently the number of blacks in incarceration is 13 times the number of whites.

18) The U.S. could stop sending billions of dollars to foreign countries to aid in their failed attempts in fighting a lost Drug War.

I'm pretty tired as I type this post. If there is anything that I have missed or forgotten as to the benefits of ending the drug war and legalizing drugs please, anyone, feel free to add to this list.

So there you go, LoneRanger. The why I haven't answered before now is because I didn't have the time before now to sit down and spell it out for you. Now you are going to ask for proof. Well, you can do your own research. It's all out there...you can find it. Have fun!

dirtyRat.........Your first reason as you may know I am all for not throwing money (my tax dollars) at the problem.

as for no.2....with the legalization of marijuana there will of course be new crimes so the spending on court costs and prisons probably won't change. Remember my post about and then there were the thieves.........

No.3 and this is where the conversation comes to a halt. The regulation and taxing of marijuana. So far not one person who is for the legalization of marijuana can or has come up with a legitimate answer or way for regulating or the taxing of marijuana. and without this problem solved every thing else is mute.

Regulating marijuana like you would alcohol doesn't work because alcohol doesn't grow in the fields or in every ones basement. And as you pointed out in your other post it would be impossible for the government to knock on every ones door to see who is growing it so they can be taxed.

And just so you know, I am not a hard core anti drug and alcohol person. I smoked my share of weed when I was in Vietnam at the end of 65.......I know what it does to the mind and the difference between the high from alcohol and marijuana.....

So far I have yet to hear or read any legitimate reasons for legalizing it, and yes I have research the subject. I have read about people comparing it to prohibition and even people saying well it's legal in Switzerland and Denmark. Well here is a surprise, It is not legal in those countries. They simply turn their heads to the small amounts that people have. Now to prove my point just take, say five pounds of marijuana over to Switzerland and try and sell it in front of the police station......my point will be made. And just so you know their government studies in all the countries who turn their heads to small amounts of drugs have also notice a sharp increase in drug usage in both the soft and hard drugs......didn't see that coming.....

DirtyRat.......again with a history lesson on Prohibition. Almost all the violence from the roaring twenties was not due to the sale of alcohol. The largest battles were over territory. The same as it is today with the gangs. It started in Detroit with the Purple gang, and then there was the King Canada, and of course the more famous ones like Capone. St Valentines Day massacre was not about alcohol it was one gang crossing into some other gang territory. And the first real blood bath or massacre didn't have anything to do with alcohol. It was called the Cleaners and Dryer wars. Go figure that one out..... And while it seems like the gangs and mobsters faded out because of the end of prohibition it was really due to an excessive amount of internal power struggling. in other words they just about killed themselves off. One Italian mob even joined side with the FBI just to unseat one of their rival gangs so they could in turn take control of their territory.....and that is just so you know the rest of the story. and I do not twist my facts or history to prove a point........look it up

LoneRanger01, you bash someone's ideas, and they are very well thought up. His ideas would save this country billions and end violence not only along the border and throughout the world over drugs but in U.S. cities as well. But you can't put one idea on the table concerning violence over drugs which means you prefer the typical "stay on course" routine our leaders follow, all the while this insanity gets worse and worse.

Do you honestly believe that if the government stays as strict or gets stricter on drugs that the drug problem will eventually disappear?? You have to be living under a rock to believe the war on drugs is winnable. Narrow-mindness to this issue only means this suffering will continue.

What the.....To start with I did not bash his ideas. Secondly, please show me where I have stated a "stay on course" routine.......... I notice that there were no ideas, not one coming from you as to how the US can go about regulating drugs and taxing them......If you are indeed going to jump anyone case about not having any sound ideas because they don't have all the facts, maybe you should have some ideas your self in other words put up or shut up.

Dirtyrat mentioned what he thought to be the pros for legalizing drugs and I then presented the cons. And until someone who is for legalizing drugs can come up with a sound and legitimate way to regulate and tax the drugs I will not be for legalization.

So mr. What the....how about putting some sound ideas where your mouth is and give us a sound and legitimate way to regulate and tax drugs....Let's see if your ideas will hold water.......

BTW: DirtyRat is a big boy, I'm sure if he thinks that I am just shooting his ideas down or bashing him out of meaness he will tell me........

LoneRanger:

I think we will be going in circles over this debate.

I understand the territory disputes between the mobs and gangs. But what caused these disputes? What was the root cause? What started it all?

Just because the taxation issue hasn't been totally worked out, why is everything else I listed moot? To keep perpetuating the insanity because of taxation issues is, just, insane.

I have changed my mind on legalizing all drugs. We should decriminalize all drugs and the hard drugs should be available to people all ready addicted to them. They would get their drugs through clinics with medical supervision. Switzerland has a heroin program like this and it has had positive results.

But marijuana should be legalized and treated like alcohol with the only difference that homegrowers wouldn't be taxed as long as it is for personal consumption only. If caught selling without a license they would be treated the same as illegal drug dealers today under current law. Commercially grown weed for public consumption would be taxed.

I re-read your opinions about how the crime would be the same after legalization and I do not agree. I do not think there will be a spike in crime to match the level we spend on incarceration and court costs at present.

I'm curious: Do you have any ideas in how we end this insane Drug War or any ideas in how we legalize weed and tax it and regulate it?

Or maybe we should just legalize weed because it's really more an issue about freedom of choice. Like abortion, the government should not have the right to legislate morality and have the right to tell anyone what they can or cannot do with their own bodies, with their own lives. We (supposedly) live in a free society, a society of free thinkers, and we should have the right to make choices free from anyone looking over our shoulders telling us how to think. If someone wants to alter their minds and be lazy or do nothing, isn't that someones right to do so as long as it isn't hurting anyone else? I don't want to stereotype any smokers out there because I know there are many hard working, tax paying, contributors to society that smoke weed. But many people seem to think the opposite. But even if it did, who are they to tell someone they have to be a productive member of society? Who said you have to be all you can be as if you joined the army or something? Isn't wasting your life away a personal choice, and not up to anyone else? Isn't being free to make that choice what freedom is all about? And, BTW, you can waste away without ever having done any drugs, illegal or not.

Yes I'm a big boy and have been for over 44 years now. Thanks.

DirtyRat........I'm not saying the mobs and gangsters didn't have anything to do with prohibition....But what I do think is that most of the people who use the prohibition to compare with marijuana get most of their historical facts about Prohibition from the old black and white TV show called the Untouchables.........The Mobs and gangsters were around doing crime before Prohibition ever started........Prohibition, wars and the Bible are my three most favorite subjects to study and talk about.............

As for that last big and rather large paragraph,.....come on that isn't even a good high school argument for legalization..........It's a personal choice, doesn't hold water.

"And, BTW, you can waste away without ever having done any drugs, illegal or not." Yeah, and a car could hit me, a lighting bolt could zap me and it still doesn't have anything to do with legalizing drugs.......another hole in the bucket...LOL....are you starting to hang out with my little buddy hayte?

OneDirtyRat, I like the idea about hard drugs. The Swiss have very good ideas when it comes to domestic issues. The hard part in our culture is how issues are painted. There always seem to be opposing choices and sometimes, a third option is never strived for. So, we become polorized in viewpoints.

Anyway, good thought. And, I agree that our government should not attempt to legislate morallity to remain true to the ideals of freedom.

LoneRanger01, you want to know why I'm in favor of legalizing drugs? My reasoning is as follows:

1)Someone can get impaired/violent/crazy with alcohol just as easily as with any other drug.

2)Alcohol is legal, but you don't see everybody being drunk everywhere, so it's not like society will go into mayhem if cocaine is legalized for example.

3)If people want to use any other illicit drug they will get it and they will use it, the laws mean nothing to them, drugs are everywhere.

4)With the exception of crystal meth, most drugs were designed for a reason and have been used in the field of medicine responsibly and can be so again.

5)There are pharmaceutical drugs and chemicals in homes that are just as damaging if not more so than the drugs coming into this country.

6)Will eliminate drug profits for drug cartels and inner city gangs, if you legalize drugs, the problems with the cartels will vanish since people will be able to get their drugs from more reliable sources than from Juan in some back alley. Not only that but there will be no black market in major cities and there would be no reason for street drug dealers. Not only will the cartels lose control of the border, but gangs will lose control of the streets in U.S. cities. How does that sound?

There, we will have saved billions of dollars overprotecting our borders (& billions more in the judicial system)and the border protection agents jobs will be at least 50% easier (it would be 99% easier for them if the federal government did what AZ is trying to do) and gang violence will plummet everywhere! Again, how does that sound?

LoneRanger01, so you think the government is in a position to tell us what we can and cannot do with our bodies as long as it doesn't hurt anybody else? If you think the government has that authority, i feel pretty bad for you and there is no point in arguing further.

What's worse still is that it seems like you can't accept 1 pro for legalizing drugs (and there are many) which shows your narrow-mindness in the issue because with nearly every situation there is always at least one pro AND one con. All you see are the cons

SUPPORTING RESEARCH INTO THE
THERAPEUTIC ROLE OF MARIJUANA

American College of Physicians (2008)

2. Marijuana's Schedule in the Controlled Substance Act (excerpts)

ACP urges review of marijuana status as a Schedule I controlled substance and
reclassification into a more appropriate schedule, given the scientific evidence regarding
marijuana's safety and efficacy in some clinical conditions

ACP urges an evidence-based review of marijuana's status as a Schedule I controlled
substance to determine whether it should be reclassified to a different schedule.
This review should consider the scientific findings regarding marijuana's safety and efficacy
in some clinical conditions as well as evidence on the health risks associated with
marijuana consumption, particularly in its crude smoked form.

Schedule I substances, which include LSD and heroin, are those that have
been determined to have no medicinal value and high potential for abuse (4).
A review of the scientific evidence supports the therapeutic efficacy of marijuana
and cannabinoids for certain conditions, such as HIV wasting and chemotherapy induced
nausea and vomiting (5–8). Cannabinoids have also been suggested to
provide potential therapeutic benefit for other chronic conditions, but research
evidence to support these claims is limited at this time.
Based on the evidence, the HPPC reaffirms ACP's view that the federal
government should review the scientific evidence to determine whether marijuana
and cannabinoids should be reclassified to a different schedule.
Medications with abuse potential are placed in Schedule II of the Controlled
Substances Act, which confirms evidence for therapeutic benefit but brings
them under stricter control, including quotas on the amount that can be legally
manufactured. Said scheduling also signals to physicians that a drug has abuse
potential and that they should closely monitor its use by patients who could be
at risk for drug abuse. Schedule II drugs 1) have high potential for abuse; 2) have
accepted medical use for treatment in the United States or accepted medical use
with severe restrictions; and 3) may lead to severe psychological or physical
dependence if abused. Examples of Schedule II substances include morphine,
cocaine, phencyclidine (PCP), methadone, and methamphetamine (9).
Marijuana's current scheduling and the federal process for obtaining
research-grade marijuana poses unique challenges for researchers. Currently,
the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is the only legal producer and
distributor of marijuana and cannabinoids that can be used for federally
approved research. In addition to applying for a DEA license and FDA
approval, investigators who wish to study marijuana must also submit their
protocols to NIDA, a review process that exists for no other drug. Although the
FDA review process has a 30-day deadline, the NIDA Public Health Service
review has no deadlines and no formal appeals process. This extra process has
been imposed on medical marijuana research despite federal law requiring adequate
competition in the production of pharmaceuticals, including Schedule I
drugs (10). DEA regulations specify at 21 C.F.R. § 1301.33 (b), "In order to provide
adequate competition, the Administrator shall not be required to limit the
number of manufacturers in any basic class to a number less than that consistent
with maintenance of effective controls against diversion solely because a
smaller number is capable of producing an adequate and uninterrupted supply
(11)." It is for this reason that researchers have requested that the DEA and
NIDA allow privately funded, government-approved, research-grade marijuana
production facilities. In February 2007, DEA administrative-law Judge Mary
Allen Bittner recommended that the DEA and NIDA approve such a facility
proposed by Professor Lyle Craker, Ph.D., director of the Medicinal Plant
Program at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Department of Plant,Soil and Insect Sciences.

"NIDA's system for evaluating requests for marijuana
for research has resulted in some researchers who hold DEA registrations …being
unable to conduct their research because NIDA has refused to provide them
with marijuana," Bittner said. Judge Bittner also ruled that there is an "inadequate"
supply of marijuana available for research purposes (12). The DEA has
no deadline on whether to accept Bittner's nonbinding ruling.
Review of marijuana's scheduling is not a new concept. In the 1980s, the
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) held extensive hearings on the transfer of
marijuana to Schedule II. In 1988, DEA administrative-law Judge Francis L.
Young recommended that the DEA Administrator, "conclude that the marijuana
plant considered as a whole has a currently accepted medical use in treatment
in the United States, that there is no lack of accepted safety for use of it under
medical supervision and that it may lawfully be transferred from Schedule I to
Schedule II." (13) The DEA overruled the judge's order, and in 1992 issued a
final rejection of all requests for reclassification (14). Since then, other petitions
for rescheduling marijuana have also been denied (15). Considering the evidence
available today about the potential therapeutic benefits and risks associated
with marijuana and its cannabinoids, ACP believes that it is time to review the
evidence to determine whether reclassification is appropriate.

(Folks, this is outrageous. First of all, the DEA won't even allow independent studies on marijuana. Gee, I wonder why? Secondly, It's a Scheduled Class I and researchers have suggested a review of it's class. If it were to go one tier down, Sched II, it would be in the same class as morphine, cocaine, and heroin!!?? Everyone with ANY common sense would know that weed is no where like these drugs. Pot needs to be in the same class as alcohol.)

Myths and Facts About Marijuana

http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/#moremyths

• Marijuana Can Cause Permanent Mental Illness
• Marijuana Is Highly Addictive
• Marijuana Is More Potent Today Than In The Past
• Marijuana Offenses Are Not Severely Punished
• Marijuana Is More Damaging to the Lungs Than Tobacco
• Marijuana Has No Medicinal Value
• Marijuana Is a Gateway Drug
• Marijuana's Harms Have Been Proved Scientifical
• Marijuana Causes an Amotivational Syndrome
• Marijuana Policy in the Netherlands is a Failure
• Marijuana Kills Brain Cells
• Marijuana Impairs Memory and Cognition
• Marijuana Causes Crime
• Marijuana Interferes With Male and Female Sex Hormones
• Marijuana Use During Pregnancy Damages the Fetus
• Marijuana Use Impairs the Immune System
• Marijuana's Active Ingredient, THC, Gets Trapped in Body Fat
• Marijuana Use is a Major Cause Of Highway Accidents
• Marijuana Related Hospital Emergencies Are Increasing, Particularly Among Youth
• Marijuana Use Can Be Prevented

Marijuana's Impact on Brain Function "Minimal"

http://blog.norml.org/2009/07/28/marijuana's-impact-on-brain-function-"minimal"-new-study-says/

Developing Brains: Alcohol Worse Than Marijuana

http://www.physorg.com/news157280425.html

Reaserchers Find Study of Medical Marijuana Discouraged

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/health/policy/19marijuana.html

(And I could go on, and on, and on...)

what the....do I want to know why......NO, you lost your credibility with me when you compared cocaine use to alcohol.......enough said

I did no such thing.

LoneRanger01, I didn't compare the two. The point I was trying to make is that if a drug like cocaine or marijuana were to be legalized, it's not like everybody is going to rush to get high off those drugs. If people want to get high off those drugs they would have done so already even with those drugs being illegal. But your're right, there's no point in arguing further, since you have no problem with the government telling you what you can and cannot put in your body.

There are going to be quite a few trying it when it is legal because it won't matter in a urine test. The trick is to find a job that will tolerate it. Employers still won't have to hire you.

true, same way they fire employees who come in drunk. Even with drugs legalized, the users should still run the risk of getting fired for failing a drug test.

So should we legalize kiddie porn too?? I mean there will always be a demand. Countries have tried this in the past and it has not worked so well. Please, look at Amsterdam. I went down there 30 years ago and people were shooting up in the streets out in the open. Is that the kind of behavior you want in the US?? Close the f'ing border now!!!

So should we legalize kiddie porn too??

Why? are the cartels smuggling it in to supply the huge demand of American consumers?

Not sure, don't by kiddie porn or drugs. Just saying that legalizing something that is BAD for society does not seem like the brightest idea. I got an idea, why don't we seal our borders. Remember, it was not too long ago when this stuff was coming out of Colombia. We put the hammer down on Pablo and the crap stopped. Mexico will not let us put the hammer down, so CLOSE THE F"ING BORDER!

No one is killing people in their countries on the scale we see with the drug cartels in Mexico to bring kiddie porn to the U.S. Your comparing kiddie porn to drug use doesn't make sense. There is a demand for people to make common sense posts, though. Yours is not.

No one would advocate doing drugs out in the open as they may do in Amsterdam. If marijuana is legalized in Cali in November it will be illegal to smoke it in public. And I would bet that if all drugs were made legal it still would be against the law to do them in public. So your argument there is moot.

Anymore outlandish claims or questions?

OK, here is something outlandish...Heroin, coke, crack, x, LSD, crank, speedballs, and all other hard drugs are terrible for society and legalizing it would be crazy. Do it and in 10 years the USA as a whole would be a much worse country. There.

So by the same logic employed by some of the half-wits on this site, legalization of child pornography will result in an overwhelming demand for it. Heaven forbid that the United States become a nation filled with perverts!

Well said Fedup.

Ask yourself this question. Are illegal drugs difficult to purchase? They must not be, otherwise the cartels wouldn't be in business. They are here already. A large percentage of the population uses them, obviously. This being the case; how easily anyone can get drugs, why do people think legalizing them would make any difference in who uses them? Sure, there may be a small spike in use from the people who were scared of getting caught, but generally, those who WANT to use, already use. This belief that Americans are a bunch of drug addicts in waiting, ready to jump into depravity because the thin blue line has been removed is ridiculous. Much like the argument against the Arizona immigration law being that it will somehow CREATE a police force of racial profiling bigots. Do they exist? Yes, but that is a pre-existing issue unto itself, the law won't magically turn good, fair cops into racists. The same goes for legalizing drugs. It won't create a nation of drug addicts. Coca-Cola is legal, but I don't drink it because it's not healthy. Cigarettes, same deal. Making something legal doesn't make it good for you. The bottom line is, cartels NEED money to have power. The only way to win is to take away that money. How? Attempting to get the U.S. to stop using drugs is one way, but that isn't really an option. So, you take away marketshare.

To the moron named kevin: Are you an imbecile? Anybody who wants to do those drugs is doing them at THIS F-ING moment. Right now, idiot. Those same people are driving as well. Making them illegal has done absolutely nothing to stop them. Making them legal will not be any different than alcohol being legal, and we are not going to make them legal for 12 year olds. How stupid do you think we are? Drugs will be for adults only, and they will be punished if driving under the influence. You are clueless about life if you think that these stupid laws are preventing anyone from using them, driving under them, or any other activity while on them. Jesus F-ing Christ, you people are ignorant beyond words.

KevinO-1605414, how do you know society will be worse off 10 years from now with drugs legalized? If anything the same proportion of people that use drugs now will be doing drugs 10 years from now. Do you think 90% of americans are waiting for heroin to be legalized to shoot up in some alley? I can legally buy alcohol but you don't see me driving and going to to work drunk. Do you think we are winning the war on drugs keeping these drugs illegal? 20 years ago there was no violence in the mexico-U.S. border, how is it over there now?

Oh great another friggin bible thumper....Jesus this and Jesus that..

Get real here...

Jesus smoked pot and did shrooms....as did his disiples..

Moral Orel...

Jesus did shrooms?

http://www.ncbuy.com/news/20021030/0-did-jesus-eat-magic-mushrooms.html

http://www.iamshaman.com/amanita/jesus.htm

http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Mushroom-Cross-Christianity-Fertility/dp/0340128755

Drug use in America is NEVER JUST GOING TO STOP!!! Wake up from your dream world utopia and come to reality. If you think that someday drug use in America is magically going to stop you are out of touch with reality.

End the spectacularly failed and costly Drug War. Just Say Now!

OneDirtyRat --

Do you mean "Just Say No" isn't working? Way to burst my bubble. Now I have to worry about my grandkids. I didn't worry about my kids, 'cause I thought our education system had the problem all taken care of :)

lol

sure, whatever you say

The Drug War has created the cartels and the violence associated with illegal drug trafficking. Don't fool yourself into thinking otherwise.

OneDirtyRat, you must be working for the Mexican government...007, hee hee. So their government doesn't have anything to do with this mess? How come government officials are being busted due to their 'association' with the cartels?

The Mexican government didn't create the cartels...the War on Drugs did. But now that the cartels are powerful, yes, there is definitely corruption in their government. I'm saying the root cause of the cartels is the drug war.