[Cova]

IS it really needed for medical use, again NO. Every single treatment it is possible to make a medical use for the "herb" is also well treatable with other drugs. Just because it is possible to use it to treat a illness or side effect of cancer treatment drugs doesn't make it NEEDED. So the medical use arguement in it's favor goes out the window.

It may not be NEEDED for any medicinal purpose - however that doesn't mean it shouldn't be used simply because many are predjudiced against it if it is the BEST drug to treat a particular problem. And especially in terms of medicinal use, crime is really not a factor - many of those using it for medicinal purposes are also likely under the supervision of a doctor.

In terms of recreational use - I don't believe the government should be able to make something illegal because it has the possibility to make someone more likely to harm others. That IMHO is simply a restriction of my own freedom. If I hurt someone I should be punished for it - however I should not be prevented from having (or punished for having) anything that has the possibility to harm others. I don't have the stats but I would bet car accidents kill more people a year than anything weed-related does, yet even driving reclessly while under the influence of alcohol carries a lesser punishment than simply having some weed on me. Guns are created primarily to hurt people (especially hand-guns), yet I could legally buy one if I wanted to.

It is more than the question of what, you, or I, or anyone does with thier bodies. It is what the intoxicated individual does to OTHERS! Those in favor of making it legal to smoke pot, use any drug, say in effect, "Punish those who abuse it and do terrible things, but let me have my fun." This disregards the victoms of these acts, carried out under the influence.

I'm not saying to disregard the victoms of those acts - I'm saying that pot should be treated no differently than the thousands of other things that exist that can be abused and do terrible things, yet are legal. Why if it's a chemical should it be illegal to posses, but if it's a physical object like a knife or gun only those that abuse it need to be punished while the rest of the population can still go and have their fun?