While We're At It.....

[Annik]

Well, alcohol is far more harmful to the body than marijuana is, but we've seen where prohibition gets us. Prohibition was the invitation that gave the US organized crime. It would be a mistake to outlaw it, just as it's a mistake to keep marijuana outlawed. If you want to combat drug abuse and addiction, you need to teach kids how they can give themselves natural highs when they are young (such as acing a test or winning a race). It makes them less likely to get addicted to drugs. Also, more education never hurts. Not drug education, good ole fashion reading, writing and arithmetic (haha). Maybe low-income drug abusers and addicts start because their lives are horrible. Everyone around them was born on that street, grew up there and then died without being able to make something of themselves. Education is a wonderful tool to motivate people into better lives. How many Einsteins and Sagans have we missed out on because they didn't finish school or their schooling was substandard? To sum up, the drug problem is best resolved through education, children with tools to "make their own drugs" from their natural brain chemistry and removing the stigma on drug use. Open-mindedness and communication is the best weapon we have against drug abuse.