"I'd have to disagree."

On what basis, exactly?

"If the price went down, would people be mugged, robbed and/or murdered for their money?"

Drugs aren't the only thing you can buy with money, you stupid **.

"Your taxes would be lowered. The drug war costs billions of tax dollars every year. You're paying for new prisons, drug counselors, and police officers to fight the so-called drug crimes. Is this how you want to spend over 10 billion dollars every year?"

Hmm, then taxes would go back up, to pay for the healthcare for people who get diseases or otherwise physiological damaged.

"History is repeating itself, again."

Repeating + again = superfluous words.

Besides, it's not.

"Larry Singleton, on the other hand, raped a teenage girl, chopped off her arms and left her in the desert to die. He got the maximum sentence, repeat maximum sentence, of fourteen years. Even more appalling, he was paroled after eight years."

However ** up that may be, that has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with drug crime.

"We know that by purchasing marijuana you weren't trying to harm anyone else, but that doesn't matter."

Uhm, what about the schoolkids he was probably going to sell it to? That does no harm?

You really need to put more effort into your arguments. With this **, you look like one of those stupid lemmings going "Bush is the devil! Why? Uhm... dunno. BUSH MUST DIE!"

personally, on some level, I understand your point of view, but I still have to disagree with the legalization of drugs. the people who sell these drugs don't care about anything about except making money off of it. they sell you a product that can kill you, just using marijuana once can screw up your entire body - why would you purposely want to take something to can hurt you so badly? and in taking it, you are not only hurting yourself, but your family, friends, and the people who care about you - they have to watch as you take something so harmful to yourself. why?

The argument in favor of legalizing drugs always seems to revolve around taking away the profit so that crime goes away.
Well...what legitimate company is going to grow, process, and sell Marijuana?
Look at the cigarette industry. A product that's been legal for years yet those companies get sued consistantly for BILLIONS of dollars.
So what company is going to sell Marijuana, knowing its track record, and risk the myriad of lawsuits that will follow?
Will the price drop? Think of the liability insurance companies will have. Think of how easy it will be to tax the heck out of a pack of marijuana (no one in the public will object to huge taxes on pot).
Who uses pot the most? The rich? No, the poor or lost souls who turn (wrongly) to drugs as a cheap escape.
Great--now they'll be spending what money they have on packs of pot. Wonderful.
Cigs are cheap to make--they over $5 a pack here in PA. That's not cheap.
Small independent growers/sellers would be sued into submission after the first kid gets killed by a driver legally high on pot (don't laugh--they sued McDonald's over hot coffee).
I believe in state's rights and the question of whether or not drugs should be legal is a tough one. But I don't believe it would be cheaper for the buying public. I believe a black market of 'cheap' un-taxed, unregulated pot growers would spring up anyway. Then the money is back in it (there's lots of money in illegal, tax-free cigs, by the way).
Just some thougths to, well, smoke on.

I SO don't agree with putting someone in prison for life for marijuana when a rapist/murderer gets 15 years, and you put up some good arguments. However, I have to disagree with you and agree with lime-girl and Voronwe, along with some others who disagreed with your essay. I think all these harmful drugs not only damage our body, but damage our society. The government shouldn't "but out" of these affairs of drugs, because the government is SUPPOSED to be in affairs, they're the ones who run the country. It may be personal, but someone's gotta supervise it. I think that we are damaging our society when we let citizens try these harmful drugs. Many say that marijuana isn't harmful, but it is. Those who are high on marijuana while driving can get into a car crash, and turn into what we call "potheads". There are so many smart and talented people in our society, so why let them become braindead and "burnt-out" when they can be such giving members to society? And you talk about this money and tax being lowered. I don't know about you, but I would feel guilty if I was happy if taxes were lower because the country's having a great industry on elements meant to destory people's minds. Besides, with all these people on drugs, we'll need more money for hospitals anyway because of people going into the emergency room for maluse of drugs and overdoses, along with more going into rehab and welfare. And if people are willing to go that extra step to damage themselves, it might encourage others. I really like the song by the Black Eyed Peas, "Where is the love?", and we must ask ourselves that first line "What's wrong with the world?". Seriously, what's wrong with the world? Instead of trying to make a better society, we're letting our civilization go to the dogs (sorry, I shouldn't say that, because dogs have more morals than many humans). If I was in the government (and I'd like to, I want to me in Parliament - I'm Canadian - someday), I'd illegalize marijuana. I'd protect the citizens from even trying to hurt themselves.

I agree. The government needs to butt out. it was good...

It might be alright if we legalize marijuana, but there are very serious drugs that are very harmful to our bodies. You make some valid points.

This essay is very good but I can't fully agree with you; if drugs were made legal then society would initally face numerous problems. Kids and teenagers would have access to drugs, overdoses would become more common and more people would become addicted to coke, heroin etc.
However, I do agree with the prison sentance thing. It's unjustified for a rapist to serve just 8 years while somebody who only bought 1pound of a drug gets life imprisonment.
Overall, good essay but it could have been a little longer and also included drugs like coke, E, LSD and heroin.
Well done :D
*lime-girl*

a very good essay; it isn't often that we hear pro-drug legalisation arguments. This was perhaps a little short, and you could have focused on some drugs other than marijuana, but all in all, it was pretty good.
One argument that you didn't bring up was that, if drugs were made legal, people could then legally register as addicts to get proper help. At the moment, many addicts will suffer in silence because if they tried to get help, there is a very high chance they will also have to face legal action. You also could have mentioned that in countries where marijuana is legal, they actually have less drug-related deaths, accidents and health problems, because people have access to places which will help them kick the habit.
Another thing that could have been mentioned was that if drugs were legal than they wouldn't be nearly as dangerous to users. At the moment, the biggest dangers associated with drugs is not the drug itself, but all the crap that is mixed in with it. If the drug trade wree legally regulated, then we could make sure that all these things weren't mixed in with the drugs. Did you know that heroin, in its pure form, is actually quite harmless to the user? In fact, many doctors who have access to pure-grade heroin have been known to take it before complicated surgery to calm their nerves. After years of usage, these doctors stopped feeling the effects of heroin so much, but other than that, there were no obvious health risks. Of course, once a doctor is discovered they're immediately fired and fined.
but yeah, good essay.

I agree. This could use about 8 more sources to be even remotely convincing, but this is a nice start.

While I must commend you on your honesty on the subject, I can't fully agree with you.
While you are somewhat right in saying that by making drugs legal, you will reduce the cost of drug prevention. But, however, you are ignoring the huge issue of the drug's health-related effects on society. By making these drugs legal, you are opening a lot of doors for these drugs to fall into the hands of minors. It's bad enough to alcohol is already being given to loads of minors, but if narcotics become legal, what is to stop someone from purchasing a substantial amount and selling it to young people?
Nothing. Not if they're legal.
-The V Man

You know... you have a point. I always thought marijuana should be legalised but wasn't sure about 'harder' drugs but you've got a point, really, haven't you? & I bet you're rolling a six foot joint right now.

i loved it powerful and tru it was kik ** all the way good stuff ive had the same opinion forever im just glad u put it out in print for those of us who wanted to but didnt again great stuff and i vote legallize it

Okay so I read your essay, you made some valid points. But you only concentrated on marijuana. Your title is, "Legalize All Drugs". Now let's think. All drugs? All drugs is just just very vague. Some drugs, I'd hate to see legalized, (E, PCP, heroin) but marijuana is okay. I see your point there, and you addressed it well. Your grammar is nice but I'd like to see it longer. good job. I'm now gonna read your other work too.