I'm an advocate for the legalization of marijuana and hash. I even advocate drug testing for THC limited to small cut off...only to determine if a person is high on the job or violating driving while intoxicate laws. Currently the cut off for THC is so low it can detect use as long as 4-6 weeks after use. The cut off point of detection can be raised to indicate more recent use.
While it appears that meth is the Mexican drug cartels money driver, weed remains a big part of the profit. In legalizing it, a vital cog in their profits is removed.
The war on drugs is pretty much failed effort. Fareed Zakaria, who I consider one of the most pragmatic contemporary thinkers, wrote an excellent piece on the failed drug war in "Incarceration Nation." I highly recommend the article.
None other than social conservative televangelist Pat Robertson believes in legalized marijuana.
Zakaria is a pragmatic but somewhat left of center thinker. Robertson is a social conservative and one of societies harshest critics. They are from different sides of political spectrum. Yet both agree in the legalization of marijuana.
The topic certainly is worth discussion. Money used to enforce marijuana laws can put to use elsewhere. A sin tax on marijuana also could put to use toward education, mental health and enforcement of other drug laws.
I'm not an advocate of legalizing all drugs. Crack, cocaine, heroine and other hard drugs remain a blight on society. Will they ever be eradicated? No. However limited funds of drug enforcement could be focused on worse drugs than marijuana.
