While I do believe that medical marijuana is helpful to the people who it actually benefits with severe medical problems, the manner in which it is now distributed, grown, and used, should be done so in a way that it is monitored under stricter regulations. Too many are using and distributing under the false pretense of medical.

The only way to regulate marijuana and any drug for that matter, is to legalize. Legalization would allow a goverment organization like ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control)to regulate and control sales and distribution. Ask any high school student which is easier to get alcohol or pot. They seem to always say pot, why is that? Seems to me to be regulation. I hear all the time, "What about the children?" They seem more concerned that a person over 21 smokes a little weed for whatever reason (medical or pleasure), than keeping it away from kids. People have done some form of mind altering substance since the dawn of man. Regulate and Educate (with truth, not lies). That will be the only way to control any substance. Is this a perfect solution? No, but if you want to protect people/kids, regulate and educate. In my opinion, the only thing that throwing a nonviolent pothead into jail or prison is to teach them how to be a violent criminal. A "Gateway" to life of crime.

My position still remains the same. I have seen the relief this can bring to someone with cancer. But, I do have a problem with the "ends justifies the means". It is against Federal law and we should work to change that, not just ignore it. Once you go down that road ...

Ken makes a good observation about the ease of minors getting it once it’s controlled by the government. I’ve gotten in discussions with teenage kids about legalizing it. Of course they always say “Pot should be legalized.” But when I mention that IF it ever is that it will be controlled about like alcohol and its use and restrictions…and you’ll have to be 21 years old to purchase it. You can see the disappointment set in immediately. But, also think of the tax revenue that states would get from the legalization/sale of it.

Tobacco is legal but controlled by the government and is easier for kid to get then alcohol or marijuana. Do you really think that the kids who are growing and selling pot to other kids now are going to stop once it is legal for adults over 21? Oxycodone is legal and controlled but is still for sale on the streets. If there is money to be made someone will still be selling to the kids the only difference is it will be easier get to sell to the kids. If you want to smoke, smoke but don’t use the excuse it would be safer for the kids.

Robert E,

Yes I do, and here's why: The price of Cannabis (marijuana) has been inflated by the black market to absurd levels. If Cannabis was regulated by the government, the price would dramatically fall.

Why would you go to an expensive dealer you don't trust when you can go down to a storefront and buy something guaranteed to be organic with the potency and strain clearly labeled?

You wouldn't.

That's why so many of us are for the regulation of it. If it was legally regulated and grown by farmers (with government oversight) or gardeners (for their own personal use – with a limited number of plants) we would literally be able to completely cut the drug cartels out of the equation.

Educate, legalize, regulate.

This would not change a thing under age people could not go to the pot store. That was the point. They would still be buying on the black market. Someone else would go to the pot store and then resell to underage kids. That was the point I was making all along I was not talking about adults. The first comment was saying that regulation would stop underage use I said just like alcohol or tobacco regulation won't stop kids from using pot.
Second as far as inflated prices the price will be set by what the market will bare if people are willing to pay that now that is what the legitimate stores would charge.

Robert E,
Your points do not make sense, you are saying that kids still be buying on the black market, and then turned it around saying people of age would get it for them. I haven't seen kids turning to the black market for alcohol or tobacco. So I can assure you teens would not be still supporting the cartels for cannabis if it were regulated. The We Card program cut teen cigarette use by 50%. Also making penalties to the offender who supplied the minors. Yes, theres always going to be the person that goes into liquor stores and buy for kids and that's never going to change. It's part of growing up. We all have obtained alcohol when we were underage. It's never going to stop. I'd rather see a group of kids smoke up on a friday night watch movies and eat munchies then getting drunk experimenting with alcohol and get alcohol poisoning and die while it is impossible to die from cannabis.

Robert E,
Your points do not make sense, you are saying that kids still be buying on the black market, and then turned it around saying people of age would get it for them. I haven't seen kids turning to the black market for alcohol or tobacco. So I can assure you teens would not be still supporting the cartels for cannabis if it were regulated. The We Card program cut teen cigarette use by 50%. Also making penalties to the offender who supplied the minors. Yes, theres always going to be the person that goes into liquor stores and buy for kids and that's never going to change. It's part of growing up. We all have obtained alcohol when we were underage. It's never going to stop. I'd rather see a group of kids smoke up on a friday night watch movies and eat munchies then getting drunk experimenting with alcohol and get alcohol poisoning and die while it is impossible to die from cannabis.

It seems to me that people who want medical marijuana are people who smoked it before they had a medical condition. I don't think most people who have never smoked pot are going to ask for it after they fall ill. Therefore, I believe most people wanting medical marijuana are people who are just looking to get high, like they have been doing already.

FROM: the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, see: http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/

"2001–2005, there were approximately 79,000 deaths annually attributable to excessive alcohol use. In fact, excessive alcohol use is the 3rd leading lifestyle-related cause of death for people in the United States each year."

Alcohol: 79,000 deaths
Canabis: zero deaths

But only rarely will a politician ever have the courage to stand by the truth and call for legalization, because they fear the yahoos will come out in droves and scream "soft on crime" or bemoan the "example are we setting for the children." So with no guts to stop the funneling of billions of dollars to Mexican drug lords, the politicians will waste our money on drug wars forever.

Lynn, I am so sorry for your loss. I cannot even imagine the pain you are going through. You gave me something to think about, you have changed my mind about how I feel. It does seem like it would be safer than alcohol. I would prefer if my kids didn't use drugs or alcohol at all, but if they're going to, I now believe pot would be the safest thing to do.

Every bud sold legally is one less sold illegally.

If we parents want to keep drug dealers away from children then we need to support supermarkets selling legally-grown marijuana to adults at prices low enough to prevent illegal competition.

True enough, Joe, the kids that want pot will seek it out...from a dealer...and some dealers have other drugs, like pills, which don't put off any scent and are much easier to hide, so it is better if they are not introduced to that possibility in the first place. What if the dealer happens to be out of weed that day and the kid still wants to do something. Just saying...

People really need to get back to their natural state. This mental illness that you call "pharmaceutical drugs" is of no help to you. I'm seeing this and that about dealers and people getting a license under false pretense and this and that. Why wasn't the shit illegal for the Native Americans? Hell most of them used it for meditation and medicine. Your body is built to connect with this plant, which makes it a part of you. Denying that is denying your true self. Sure, if you don't want to use the stuff then DONT. But who has that right to deny anyone from something that is natural and pure? What craziness have you seen in the news from someone who smoked a joint? Ever? People need to wake up. Your worried about kids smoking "marijuana"? How about worrying about what's being put in your kid's food and water? Food Additives, Fluoride, Aspartame, MSG, and I can go on adnaseum. Why don't you google or learn what Fluoride was used for back in WWII and in Russian Prisons in the 30's and 40's. And your worried about a little weed. I pity all of you that deny these facts.