[Hipfan734]

You know what, I'm getting kind of fed up with the stupidity that transcends most of the pro-marijuana marches and rallies. It's of my oppinion that if you want a controlled substance to be legalized or at the very least decriminalized, getting several hundred people together to get high in a park is probably not the best way to go about doing it. If alchol prohibition were still in effect would you take any group seriously if they just got together in large groups and got drunk? I find that people who participate in these large rallies usually do more harm then good for their cause. Rarely does the media interview any of the successful lawyers, doctors or bussinessmen (or women) taking part, it's always some eighteen year old stoner who talks about how he smokes two to three joints a day, and "he turned out alright.". I agree whole heartedly that it should be a legalized substance I just feel that the way alot of people go about attempting to do something about it is pointless. I don't know this is all stemming from an article I read in the Toronto Sun this morning, I didn't even go to the link here, just felt like arguing for arguing's sake. Tell me I'm wrong I don't claim to be an expert just feeling bitter this morning.

You do sound bitter, and aggressive. Pot doesn't induce violence, it causes calmness and the munchies. Those rallies are overwhelmingly peaceful. I'd support the right of adults to consume beer, even though alcohol causes rowdy behaviour, 1000's of deaths per year, and severe addiction. Cannabis does not cause fatal overdoses, or lethal liver damage, or severe withdrawal symptoms common to alcohol and tobacco use. It's about tolerance. Do you really believe that Alex Lifeson should be persecuted for cannabis use ? What about all the other musicians who use it to relax or enhance their creativity ? Why pursue the failed USA war on drugs, when the evidence is that the US has the highest incarceration rate on earth, the highest violent crime rate in the western industrialized world, and their harsh drug laws have not reduced use at all, it's merely fueled a bloated and ruthless prison industry. Bush has a 20-30% approval rating - in the more right-wing US, so why even THINK about bringing such divisive and destructive policies to Canada ? There are dozens of possible sane and more balanced ways drug laws can be enforced, rather than such a hardline clampdown.

Simple : if you want to round up all the pot users and imprison them, vote Liberal & Conservative. If you do not, vote Green Party or NDP.

Btw, I never participated in any rallies because they don't aesthetically appeal to me, but let us be reasonable in determining the fate of people's *lives*. Hyper-criminalization is not the answer. IOW, I'd look beyond the impression those rallies leave you with, and look more at the fact that the vast majority of Canadians want Cannabis to be decriminalized or legalized. The larger issue is : should Canada be copying Republican party social policy ?