Is there anything that can really be done to get this to happen?
I am certain there are quite a few organizations and people in the US who are trying to get it legalized, I know for sure there are a bunch in Germany. I guess they will do stuff like collecting signatures, something like that. But actually I think what will help most in the long run is to inform yourself by means of the 'net, discussions with users and those strictly against it, or whatever (educated) source you can find, and then share your knowledge with others. Hopefully, this will slowly, but surely change the collective conciousness and the powers that be will be forced to legalize the weed.
What are the possibilites?
Over here, the possibility of marihuana being legalized anytime soon are next to nil. We have a strong lobby against it, and unfortunately, they are the ones in power.
Pro
1. You don't see potheads commiting crimes, they are too mellow and happy.
I don't know any numbers, but I have met a lot, A LOT of potheads, and not all of them are happy and mellow. Granted, the drug-related crimes are no comparison to those committed to support heroin or cocaine addiction, but I'd say that cannabis users are exactly as criminal or non-criminal as non-smoking people. If you make your living with stealing, you won't stop just because you smoke a spliff or two in the morning. (And anyway, since you have to grow or buy weed in order to smoke it, you already commit a crime by default, at least according to official law
)
2. Time and $ can be better spent on real issues and crimes.
Yep.
Con
1. Who would benefit from this?
Mainly, those who want to use marihuana, obviously, be that for getting high or because that stuff actually has some darn good medical properties
How would it be sold and taxed?
Sold: there are various possibilities. One would be as OTC drug in pharmacies, thus guaranteeing a somewhat stable quality and price. The other way, the one I prefer, is by means of so-called coffee-shops as already practised in The Netherlands.
Taxed: Same way as Tobacco or Alcohol is being taxed.
2. What about laws-such as while you are at work etc etc-it already goes on enough that it probably would not make that much of a difference.
Again - this has already been done with regards to alcohol and tobacco. YOu can basically apply the same laws with only minor changes.
I really am unschooled in this topic and have only read a little about the topic, I would be interested in seeing opinions for and against.
I have read a fair amount of literature (pro and con) about it, as well as witnessed the way The Netherlands deal with this, and I gotta say that I have yet to find one single sound reason why marihuana should not be legalized.
Thing is - cannabis is by no means worse than alcohol or tobacco when it comes to its effects on the body and mind, so, logically, if a society allows the consumption of one drug, it has to allow the consumption of the other one as well, right?
