Marijuana

I've never tried marijuana.  I think I'd rather eat it in cookie form than smoke it.  But I'm definitely in favour of legalizing it.  It's only a "gateway" drug toward more dangerous stuff because of its illegal status.  We hear about "skunk" strains with dangerously high THC levels, but that actually strengthens the case for legalization:  if it's legal, the government can regulate it and remove skunk the way they regulate liquor and ban moonshine.

Legalizing marijuana will also mean legalizing hemp, a crop that could revolutionize farming in North America.  It's a plant that grows like a weed anywhere and has lots of important uses, like making paper in the place of cut-down trees.

It may be true that excessive use causes brain damage.  So the government should give the message: "Responsible adults, use it at your own risk."

When I was in college, I used a desk on which someone had written, "Washington owned slaves and blew dope and they won't admit it"!