Should the government be spending 42 billion dollars on marijuana enforcement th

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   MarcellusShaleposted 13 years ago

   Should the government be spending 42 billion dollars on marijuana enforcement this year?
   
   They are looking for areas of the budget to cut. It is clear that its not working anyways.

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   peterxdunnposted 13 years ago

   If you look back through history you find that marijuana use goes back to pre-historic times. It has always been around. It will always be around. The only sane approach is to legalize it along with the cultivation of industrial hemp: the latter will create much needed jobs and give a massive boost to the wider economy.
   
   That 42 billion dollars could be put to much better use elsewhere.

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   kevrock529posted 13 years ago

   That seems like a steap bill to enforce no marijuana use. With the current state of the economy, I would think there are much better uses. Just imagine how much the government would make by legalizing it and taxing it.

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   Jangaplanetposted 13 years ago

   No! but could you imagine if the government would distribute the 42 billion dollars with every citizen in the country. Or even just give half of that money and distibute it evenly.

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   R.Cochranposted 13 years ago

   It seems that most people are in agreement that the only answer is NO! The war on drugs is the biggest scam ever run on the American public. Not only has it not worked, but it has been used to enrich local municipalities thru seizure laws, that's why it has so much support from politicians. They damn well know that they will never stop it, however that has no bearing on the fact that they will continue to perpetrate this archaic and insane practice. I posted a hub once with a strict comparison of the prohibition on alcohol and drug enforcement. They can pass all the laws they want too, but as long as people have free will, they will never stop leisure use among people.
   The money they spend on enforcement would be better spent on addiction support for those truly have problems with drug use. Alcohol is a much worse drug than marijuana, but who's ad's did you see on the Superbowl? Budweiser. The stigma attached to alcohol in the early 1900's was the same as the stigma now attached to marijuana. Once legal, the stigma will soon fade away as it did with alcohol consumption.
   If you would like to read more on this issue and why prostitution (another law that is impossible to enforce) and drug laws go hand and hand in the government you can read my hub:http://hubpages.com/hub/Sex-and-Drugs also, a hub on how legalization could help the economy http://newsflavor.com/opinions/the-obam … -on-drugs/
   There is plenty of people that think legalization will be a gateway to harder drugs, but studies have shown it to be just the opposite. Fact's don't matter to these people, they have a moral superiority to everyone else.

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   Jan Fowlerposted 13 years ago

   I am in agreement with the responses thus far. How can you declare war on a plant! You hear about the problems like addiction and dui surrounding alcohol. The biggest problem with pot smoking would be excessive consumption of chocolate chip cookies! There are much more "evil" things in the world for the government to worry about.

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   MarcellusShaleposted 13 years ago

   I see so far all the answers are against it, as am I. Which makes me wonder how many people actually support this waste of money, and what their reasons are. Good comments guys and gal. I will have to read some of your hubs.

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   nightwork4posted 13 years ago

   that is so absurd , i find it an insult to the people. first off it shouldn't even be illegal and secondly no matter how much money is spent, it won't change anything.
   jangaplanet, i couldn't agree more. if they gave that much money to the people , it would help a lot more then wasting it on something that shouldn't even be illegal.

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   zduckmanposted 13 years ago

   California estimated that they could generate $42million per year by legalizing pot. It is clear that it is not going away. Whether you are for it or against it, I think we all agree the "war on drugs" has been an utter and complete failure. 50% of federal prisoners are non violent marijuana offenders. This is costing millions, clogging our court system, and filling our prisons.
   
   Why not tax it and make money from it, instead of wasting money trying to eradicate it. Only 2,000 or so people die per year in the U.S. from all illegal drugs combined compared to 500,000 from cigarettes, and 500,000 from alcohol(not including drunk driving, and crimes)

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