This country was built on whiskey (from workers paid in whiskey to formation of capital during prohibition). One could never say the same about pot.
In my opinion the most important legislative change that should occur is to reschedulte cannabis as shedule 2 or if your really feelong genorous a schedule 3. I think it really confuses the issue when you are willing in certain states to allow it to be sold in liscenced premises to liscenced patients and yet you are effectively putting it in the same category as narcotics like heroin and crack. That is really a political decision in my mind and means that people can be sentenced to 25 years to life in a maximum security federal prison for growing something that is allowed to be sold in shop windows in California. Clearly the potential for unjust sentencing requires that people in states that dont have california tolerant attitude to marijuana should in some way allow people who require it as a means of medication to grow it wothout risking extremely serious charges for possessing it when they are caught growing or possessing it. I seriously cant believe it is a schedule one grug. That is way, way too harsh for a drug with similar charateristics to alcohol or tobacco. My 2 cents.
The Drug War is just one big excuse for Government to meddle in the private lives of citizens. Tax, spy, track, seize and incarcerate. Its a RACKET!! Then you've got the criminal-mafia types enriched by the blackmarket who happily kill, steal and beat for drug profits. Roughly half of all crime is drug related. Legalize all drugs, watch violent crime plummet, save a ton on law enforcement/penal costs, and GET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OUT OF OUR LIVES. Its a total scam. Just like the War on Terror. Note that during both "Wars", the border -- through which most drugs and terrorists enter America -- stays Wide Open. I suppose the Government "forgot" to close it..... SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM.
I would argue with you on one drug, meth. That drug turns people in criminal psychopaths, it really does hurt society and should be "fought." Still, yes, the war on drugs is a disaster and waste of time.
Yes, via "med-pot" California, particularly L.A. already has de facto legalization. I think L.A. has 160 med-pot dispensaries and virtually no one is denied a card. As far as taxes: If states can place a several dollar tax on a pack of cigarettes, bet your booty that "legal" pot will be FAR more expensive than what it cost presently.
Especially since that's what the market currently bears. Pot is priced far higher than demand and supply would dictate in a free market. How easy it would be to roll it over to a heavily taxed substance - same price but now pharmacy grade with no additives and legal. Nice attributes, they might even charge more than the going rate.
I don't do drugs, but from my understanding 50% of all the people in prison right now are for drug related offenses. Anyone who wants pot can easily get it in CA. So why not tax it and make a little extra money for the state? I made money trading today, there is no way I could have done this if I was not sober unless I one day create an automated system.