Overtaxation of tobacco has reduced usage and made our country healthier. It is a much smarter approach than what is currently happening with marijuana.

Marijuana = ZERO deaths due to overdose in 5000 years of recorded history…….

Asprin/Tylenol = 1200 deaths due to overdose EVERY Year

Which one should you be more worried about???

dRUDrug Free America? "NEVER". Marijuana is not a gateway drug. Many people who have used extremely dangerous drugs for many years,,,, I now see turning to Marijuana as their Godsend to an alternative to those muchmore harmful drugs. As long as we have the AMA and the Pharmacutical companies controlling our health programs. WE WILL NEVER HAVE A DRUG FREE AMERICA. Just free of the drugs we would rather use.

Pot should absolutly be legazlized. and the government should regulate it and tax it heavily. I think by now we all know it's about the same as a couple of beers and actually much better for you. Give the people what they want and make huge tax money at the same time. Win, Win...

marijuana shouldnt be legalized but the laws against marijuana should be minimal penalty

I am a former Marine who was treated with Major depressive disorder since I left active duty. I was suicidal and was prescribed Cymbalta and Seroquel but the side effects were too much to handle. I was scared off of them when I collapsed in the restroom after waking up one night to use it after I had taken Seroquel earlier that night before bed. I then begin using Marijuana and when i say it was a totally different experience it may have saved my life.

Marijuana and other drugs have been used by mankind since the begining of time. marijuana used to be a medical treatment before alcohol prohibition. The marijuana tax act of 1916 should have remained in affect and should now be reintroduced into Law.
How dare ANYIONE tell a Soveriegn U.S. citizen they cannot choose how to treat an illness or what they can ingest in their own homes????

We need to let doctors decide what medications we use. Not police or politicians! This is a public health issue, not an overwhelming law enforcement one. We can debate marijuana legalization until the cows come home. But keeping medication from sick people and putting sick people in court and jail is criminal.

I strongly feel that banning a natural substance which has obvious medicinal benefits and few negative effects is ridiculous. Especially when considering the amount of revenue and new jobs marijuana legalization would create.

We should have learned something from prohibition. Personal or medicinal use of marijuana should be legal. Attention and resources should be on chemically produced drugs that alter brains and education and rehabilitation for those who do have problems. Abuse comes in many forms-moderation is the key in all things.

yes we cannabis-why shouldnt we at least try to legalize marujuana. i think having happy ppl around you is a good thing.

legalize or decriminalize it, free up an enormous wealth of resources to arrest, convict, and incarcerate "real" criminals, while simultaneously dealing an economic blow to the drug cartels who receive 60 or 70 % of their revenue from weed. And how is it our current strategies have fared?

Quick history question for you: What did alcohol prohibition give us?
A: Al Capone, speakeasys and bathtub gin, and the Mafia... Great huh?

What has marijuana prohibition given us? A: Mexican Drug cartels spewing their violence over our borders, abducting and killing innocent civilians, and an awesome black market where drugs are easier to get than cigarettes and alcohol.

Legalize it.

Legalize Cannabis. Put the vote to the America people and respect the results.

I had breast cancer 7 years ago and had to undergo 6 rounds of chemotherapy. The stuff is awful, pure poison. You loose all the hair on your body, your skin feels waxy, you loose taste for food and your cognitive abilities wane. The nausea is something fierce – like seasickness you just can't shake. The expensive medicine they give you to counter the nausea did nothing for me. It wasn't until a friend told me that smoking pot can help. I was willing to try anything. I was able to get enough that would last through my chemo and I'll be damned if it didn't work. It was purely miraculous. I couldn't believe that it actually could do what it did. Within minutes of smoking just a little bit, I felt perfectly normal. The nausea was gone, I felt more level-headed and could think clearly. I wasn't high – I just felt normal.

I think it's disgusting how we've treated marijuana compared to how we deal with tobacco and alcohol. And the idea that marijuana is a gate way drug is ridiculous. If that were true, than so are cigarettes and alcohol, yet they're legal. It's high time marijuana become legal.

Now is our chance to unite. If we don't go for it now, we might not get another chance for a very long time. I just hope we can sway the nay sayers from there narrow minded, uneducated opinions.

Let's face it, pot will never be legalized because it brings in too much revenue for local governments who rely on the fines, penalties and court costs gained from busting otherwise harmless individuals.

Yes, it obviously should...

I know in the show there's going to be a person who experienced a negative outcome of using medicinal marijuana, but not everything is for everyone. This goes with all drugs, people react differently to all drugs and obviously marijuana was a drug she did not react well with.

That does not mean that it should be completely dismissed because 1 or a small number (very small) had a bad experience using it.

It DID work. Bad typo on my end! The marijuana DID work and took the nausea away!

Anderson,

It is painfully obvious that the Alcohol and Tobacco lobby would not want people to be able to relax after a hard day and smoke some pot.
That would threaten the customer base and huge profits.
I hope you bring them into the conversation.
That would be interesting

Marlboro Extra Strength Marijuana – Nonfiltered

Hello Everyone. I went 27 years without smoking pot and now I've been smoking for 5 1/2 years. Since I started smoking I've motivated myself to change my entire life. I've lost over 50 lbs in a little over a year. I use this as my everything. I no longer use man made medications for anything. When I go to the doctors now they tell me that I am perfectly healthy. Where I used to be sick all the time with the common cold and flu. I haven't gotten sick since I started smoking Pot.

We have to at least open a dialogue about marijuana – allow independent studies – and begin with the fair analysis of the herb. The first question must be, does it belong on the federal government's Schedule I drug list along with heroin?

I believe that marijuana should be legalized. The economy could certainly use a boost. Legalization would break down the crime element and current smokers may spend more. New jobs would be created by the start of a new industry. Tax it like tobacco, regulate it like alcohol. It's not going away wo we might as well make the best of it.

Whoever thinks that this "drug" is a helpful substance is a very uneducated person. This drug can kill the people not "help" the people.
Instead of paying attention to this drug, we have people in another country who are dieing for their freedom and everyone is talking about this drug and how helpful it is? How shamful. Yes, we do not have great ties with Iran, but we stil should care.

There are too many things that are useful with Marijuana. Hemp, medical use, and even a alcohol substitute for those who enjoy a nice evening for smoking a joint. We need to move past the assumptions that Mary Jane is a "gateway" drug and look into the benefits. Its 2009 and we know that prohibition is not the answer and to include pardons of those who were/are imprisoned because of Marijuana.

I vote for legalization and so does my neighborhood. We love the Cannabis! Viva Marijuana, AC!

Marijuana should be legal across the board and available to anyone over the age of 21. Cigarettes and alcohol are legal and kill people. People get drunk and violent, start fights and drive home drunk and kill innocent people. But marijuana is actually good for you and can be used to relieve a lot of pain and symptoms from a lot of diseases and conditions and can also help people (like me) with relieving depression, stress and anxiety. It's just ridiculous that people can slowly kill themselves or kill others with substances that are legal, yet something that is actually beneficial is illegal and the consequences of possession punish a lot of people who just don't want to live in pain.

some people that pull strings in our world must be getting VERY VERY scared about the legalization potential.

The potential of lost profits that would normally go to the makers of man made medications (that have extreme side effects) keeps us in this fairly new "war" on pot.

If you are one of the people out there that thinks marijuana needs to be illegal.... please.... please... stop listening to all the stuff you see on tv and other mass media. They are lying to you and you need to realize it.

Marijuana is an amazing medicine that has been used for THOUSANDS of years by COUNTLESS CULTURES.

ONLY RECENTLY IN HISTORY (HERE IN AMERICA) HAS IT BEEN ILLEGAL!!

Every time I turn my television on I am bombarded by drug ads form big pharma wanting me to tell my doctor I want their drug.
Why shouldn't a person be allowed to use Marijuana if they feel it helps?
How many times has FDA approved drugs killed people?

Medical Marijuana is a compassion issue, not a political issue.

As a proud supporter of NORML, I am happy to see this issue being debated in the national spotlight . We have a strong argument and all we need is to spread our message. Our message is strong, therefor we only seek to inform the public. We speak with honesty, experience and scientific backing, our facts are proven. Our cause is strong, we are not motivated by greed or big business but instead for personal liberties and the individual.

used in a mature nature and knowing what MIGHT be side-affects, etc., the use of marijuana is not any different from tobbacco or alcohol, and as MOST research shows, maybe not as dangerous, or addictive...an ex-heroin addict, i continue to use marijuana on a daily basis and control my life as a prosperous ,well respected, chef ! i think it should be "legalized" and given to the adult to make their own decisions.

the way i see it is that there are teenage kids everywhere who are going to use drugs or alcohol, and as a parent of a 4 year old who will grow up one day and probably do the same,... i mean i hope not but if i had a choice id hope that she smoke mary jane rather than be a drunk or a crack head. i hope they do legalize and get rid of beer and cigaretts.

my 50 plus years of experience with all kinds of potheads tell me to jail them all-it would be a start in ridding the streets of dope and dopes

Legalization is long overdue. The war on Marijuana has turned into a war on the citizens of America. America's citizens and economy stand to benefit greatly from its legalization and keeping it illegal will only continue to cause more harm. It's legalization for medicinal use in so many states is just the begining of our voice being heard!

A few points:
-The worst possible outcomes of smoking marijuana involve getting caught.
-The anti-marijuana propaganda depicts marijuana as just as dangerous
as other drugs: this leads those who try marijuana, with no consequences, to assume the media is lying about the other actually harmful drugs (the basis of the gateway theory).
-Based on the first two, honest media coverage of the dangers of marijuana would tell everyone the legal repercussions, not made-up physical or social dangers.
-The resources to enforce marijuana prohibition detract from the resources that could be used towards harder, actually dangerous drugs.
-The idea of those who use harder drugs ’starting with marijuana’ is based on the fact that marijuana is the first illegal drug that is tried when one ventures towards the harder ones: if alcohol were illegal, it would be the gateway drug.
-One of the arguments for prohibition is that it has been linked to things like depression: fine, but how is jail and unemployment a correct response to an allegedly depressed person?
-A recent poll claims that over 50% of the population has tried marijuana. Assuming perfectly effective law enforcement, this means the lawmakers of our country are in favor of a 50% unemployment rate, and 50% of the people serving jail time.

The second marijuana becomes legal it will become CHEAPER, which spells bad news for organized crime, which, whether any of us like to acknowledge it or not, plays a huge part in the day-to-day operations of this country. Once it is cheaper and legal, the "bootleggers" will find a way to make stronger, and potentially more dangerous imposters...further, it is and always will be, a drug of initiation and the fact that some may think it "monitored" if used only medicinally, are kidding themselves.

Your music rocks and your position is correct! Thank you Melissa!

If pharma companies could make billions on selling pot, it would be legal. This is purely political, mainly from right wing fundamentalist religious types who would ban alcohol, dancing, and cursing if they could. I think in a free society one should be allowed to make up their own mind to drink alcohol, or smoke pot.

Let's face it, we all know we could go out tonight and find some marijuana within 30 minutes. Why not make it legal and attempt to take the violent crime out of the business as well.

Melissa is a great musicain, a beautiful woman and a fantastic spokesperson for medical use of marijuana.

The real issue here is wether cannabis, like alcohol, can be used by responsible adults for pleasurable reasons.

Please, please, please examine the Dutch experience. Despite being partially "legalized", the rate of use by teens is much lower than it is here. Despite being available at any "coffeeshop", most adults have never even tried it.

The days of fear and ignorance about cannabis should be put behind us. The war on pot has cost more in wasted lives of those spent behind bars then could ever be counted.

Absolutely it should. We will never have a drug free America. Stop treating a public health issue as a criminal problem. I do not call my doctor if I get my house broken into. Why do we let police treat non-violent addicts as criminals? Legalize it. not for the economy. For better policy.

Regulate and Educate.

It's time to cut the crap and get marijuana legal. The wasted time and money to fight this 'drug' is a joke. If we were to review other countries and the effects that legalizing pot had there we'd find that the many misconceptions of marijuana being a horrid 'drug' were very untrue. The impact on the society would no be negitive, but positive as our culture took a logical step and made a natural substance legal again.

God made weed for us to enjoy – who are we to say no?

Love the show CNN....I'm smoking weed as I watch it!

It doesnt matter HOW much u tax ciggarettes its not going to do a thing,but anger smokers. Why are we wasting jail cells on people who smoke marijuana ,when theres child molesters who barely do any time?wtf?!!!!!!!

Of course it should be legalized, with restrictions on it the same as alcohol. It's more benign than both alcohol and tobacco. The only way it makes sense to keep it illegal is:

1) steady supply of new inmates who are cheap labor and keep money pouring in to the prison system

2) profit for all that are supposed to be upholding the ironic law, as they can take bribe money to look the other way

3) lobbied out of legality by big pharm cos to keep you on their pills instead

You will never remove the bond between the human mind and marijuana, or the human desire to alter its state of mind. A war on drugs is doomed to eternally fail, so why not regulate them instead?

The time to legalize cannabis is now! For over 95 years this country has attempted to eliminate cannabis use (1914 El Paso city ordinance and others). Obviously this has been a dismal failure as we have not made any inroads. Drug use is alive and well and thanks to the outright lies coming from the ONDCP and other govt. sources the people of America have been scared into believing the propaghanda and believe the falsehoods to be fact.
It is time to dis-spell the lies and educate the public to the medical benefits and the little known facts.

Man made booze, man made medicine, God made grass...who do you trust? Hemp would save trees in paper production, could be used in bio fuels, and it is renewable on yearly basis!
The only drawback to the legalization of marijuana is the amount of money lost from the incarceration and imposed fines that protect the jobs of those in the legal industry.

why we are trying to burden the medical community with one more thing that is medical marijuana

I agree, legalize it, don't criticize it. The economy is in horrible shape and that is no secret, lets fix it the right way!

I have MS and am living proof of the power of God's medicine.....

People should 'liberate' their seeds instead of throwing them in the trash. Hemp grows like a weed, it doesn't require special lights or hydroponics. If it grew everywhere, there wouldn't be too much anyone coud do about it, except live with it. Marijuana is here to stay.

The woman who had a negative experience was using it for bi-polal illness and was probably somewhat suicidal anyway. If someone is already having serious problems from not being grounded, they should think twice.

Prohibition has never worked. Even the first prohibition was a complete failure, and I'm not talking about alcohol. How about the garden of eden... don't eat the fruit... fruit was eaten. Same thing here...

Anslinger and his lame arguments against pot have been on-going for decades. Why is it the government used to support the farmers that grew it., but now its practically illegal to talk about it.

Alcohol is legal , number of alcohol related deaths annually?
Tobacco is legal???
Lets get he facts out in the open and compare???

Corporate america is the only reason marijuana is illeagl for any reason. Anyone who knows their history would know this. The government took the corporate money and created myths and lies to use as scare tactics to sell to the american people. Do your homework then make up your minds.

Studies have shown that regular marijuana users do not get Alzheimers. THC apparently interferes with the formation of plaque in the brain.

Marijuana needs to be legalized pot smokers aren't criminals, also patients suffering from AIDS, and Cancer need it not just to get high!

Marijuana may make you anxious. Some people should not smoke it, but should that limit the use for every one else?

Tyranny of the minority...? for how many years?

Marijuana should be legalized in the United States. Legalizing will take away the monopoly that drug cartels and criminals have on the product, as well as add much needed FDA oversight so that marijuana will be even more safe. Here in California we could also heavily benefit from the tax revenue that would be generated from the sale of this drug. Prohibition of alcohol was in no way effective, and the same is true for marijuana.

Why not use the Legalization of Marijuana to help us out with our Economy Crisis? Didn't we do the same with alcohol to help ease the great depression? The scientific facts outweigh any other argument. Marijuana is NOT a drug. It is not altered in any way before it is consumed.

weed is the healing for the nation.

Here’s a reason to “keep off the grass.” Researchers in Canada report that marijuana smoke contains significantly higher levels of several toxic compounds — including ammonia and hydrogen cyanide — than tobacco smoke and may therefore pose similar health risks.

Their study, termed the most comprehensive to date on the chemical content of marijuana smoke, is scheduled for the Dec. 17 issue of ACS’ Chemical Research in Toxicology, a monthly journal.

David Moir and colleagues note that researchers have conducted extensive studies on the chemical composition of tobacco smoke, which contains a host of toxic substances, including about 50 that can cause cancer. However, there has been relatively little research on the chemical composition of marijuana smoke.

In this new study, researchers compared marijuana smoke to tobacco smoke, using smoking machines to simulate the smoking habits of users. The scientists found that ammonia levels were 20 times higher in the marijuana smoke than in the tobacco smoke, while hydrogen cyanide, nitric oxide and certain aromatic amines occurred at levels 3-5 times higher in the marijuana smoke, they say.

The finding is “important information for public health and communication of the risk related to exposure to such materials,” say the researchers.

Prohibition = higher drug prices = government corruption = increased profits for terrorists and organized crime = more drug dealers and users
Legalization = more control = lower prices = less profit for terrorists and organized crime = fewer drug dealers and users.

I vote yes, lets get out of debt, and be the best we can be......

Decriminalization for all and Medicinal Marijuana is the route we need to take on the federal level...Lets get law enforcements priorities straight and focus on what really matters in this country!!!!

I was on dialysis for 3 years. It was the most miserable time of my life. I did dialysis three times a week. On those days, my stomach would churn constantly and I had no appetite. Already underweight, I started losing more weight. A freind suggested I try marijuana, which I did. I was a miracle cure. It settled my stomach and helped my appetite.
Unfortunately, I had to do it illegally. I was a criminal!

ughhh legalizee it already

I believe it should be legalized for health purposes. I know it's helped many of my friends that have suffered with cancer and other illnesses. If it helps people it's a no brainer, legalize it. Why is it taking so long to debate about something so easy to decide upon. As for people abusing the drug, that can be dealt with with the authorities, if need be. But, I believe that alcohol is much more a factor in deaths and accidents. If it makes people feel better and can take away some pain, let them use it and have it easily accessible to them. Melissa will speak the truth~
Peace...

I am 22 yrs. old & have been smoking weed since I was 16. I have yet to try another drug nor am I interested in it. Marijuana is not a gateway drug. That is just an excuse for weak minded people. Marijuana is amazing.

Isn't it all about the controls,how to govern it,tax it,etc etc etc

Alcohol was made Legal to buy in a Licensed retail approved place.Plus restrictions

Now its time to do the same with Marijuana.........

Not Addictive as Alcohol or Tobacco? True, but it’s not about the rate of addiction that counts, it’s the fact that IT’S AN ADDICTION. The point is, ‘crackpots’ will want it over and over again which feeds the demand. In fact, the common defensive of Marijuana users to advance its legalization is telling people “Why don’t you try it yourself?”… Is this getting through? The reason why they wanted people to try it is because they wanted more people to be addicted to it and support it!

Suppose it’s not Lethal and safer than Alcohol. What’s the healthy benefit of using it? Can it make me stronger? Smarter? Rid Cancer? Can it give me healthier lungs? It’s just for their twisted pleasure!

alcohol kills many more people per year.in fact i dont think there is any statistics for marijuana related deaths.so why isnt it legal?plus it would help us with the deficit.look at the tax revenue californa makes on it.

Prohibition didn't work for alcohol, it obviously isn't working for marijuana.

Marijuana should be legalized for medical purposes only. I'm in full support of people who need something to take the edge off of chemo, and any other illness. As far as legalized for the general public, I don't think we should demoralize our society with its legalization.

I suffer from chronic migraines and have found that smoking relieves the progression of migraines. When I went to the doctors they gave me many drugs, pills or inhalers, they would just increase how often I got the migraines. My migraines are so debilitating that I cannot see, get nauseous and have light sensitivity and smoking marijuana helps in the most profound way.

It makes you wonder if the fear of legalizing pot is due to the stigma that alcohol has played on our society, with drunk drivers and alcoholics. This stigma may be overlapping into the effects pot may have on our culture even though most pot is not addictive, nor especially dangerous when driving – at least not the same as the effects of alcohol while driving.

If legalized, the idea of controlling THC levels is more appealing than the dangers of kids getting pot without knowing that it may be laced with other dangerous drugs. I would rather see this monitored, just like the alcohol content is between grocery stores and liquor stores.

Marijuana has medicinal value, period. I do not consider Marijuana a gateway drug any more than alcohol, cigarettes, and/or peer pressure. Marijuana is very easily attainable by any person who wants it. Now the question is, do we keep letting the drug dealers profit off of its sale, and rage violence in some instances, or let it be regulated and reap the profits ourselves?

Calling Marijuana a "controlled" substance is laughable to me because it is everything but controlled; it is everywhere. People need to get a clue that we cannot afford to keep spending wasteful tax dollars on something this minute. End of story.

Make it legal and watch the crime rate drop and our budget surplus grow! Very similar to someone coming home and having a beer or a glass or two of wine to unwind from the day. What is the difference?

Yes medical marjuana works ....I am a 11 year cancer survivor

What Melissa Etheridge said about not being to get throught chemotherapy without marijuana is so insulting to the thousands like me that made it through(with difficulty at times) without it and are here cancer free...what she said is disgusting

As a RN for the past 18 yrs and a pot smoker for the last 20 yrs I can testify on this issue from many fronts. First, whether legal or not, its here to stay, has always been here, and always will. Second, the increased border security has popularized the homegrown movement. Third, there are millions of professionals like myself that are active smokers, work hard and pay taxes, raise our children in good homes, and have to worry about going to jail for its possession and use when alcohol continues to kill on a daily basis. Legalize now.

What I would like to see AC report on is the effects of legalizing marijuana on the the criminal elements. A friend of mine points to the legalization of Alcohol. He says it reduced violent crime and lessened organized crime. Is this true or just perception?

Medically,I think marijuana is a fine alternative to other pain pills that are just as addictive and more harmful to the body.

I think the most important thing Melissa said was that the resistance against legalization is a "people problem, not the drug". Some of the legal medicine that doctors prescribe now is far more dangerous than marijuana.

ya know melissa ethridge is right who are we to JUDGE anybody anybody ive learned being here in europe (germany) that americans are very judgemental and look where its got them lol how sad!!! there is nothing wrong with smoking marijuana for most IT IS NOT addictive and alot of doctors will tell you this.. i praise miss ethridge for what she is doing to legalize marijuana..and wish her all the happiness that this world has to offer .

Get real. Nobody ever died from an overdose of pot. People are going to smoke it whether it's legal or not, just like they drank during prohibition. And the economic benefits would really help a lot right now.

Melissa Etheridge is exactly right. I have never understood what the big deal is about an adult sitting in their own home smoking a joint. It's quiet, peaceful, controlled, not at all like alcohol's unsteady erratic and potentially lethal effects.

As for the second lady, pot is not for everyone and if it doesn't work for you, you're best off leaving it alone. And this is the other part of the argument for legalization, that you won't see a mass addiction to marijuana. Some will try it just out of curiousity, some will like it, some won't, some won't even try it because they don't approve and that's fine. But you shouldn't be able to make something illegal for me because it's against your morals.

I have constant neuropathic pain in my lower body from a spinal cord injury I suffered in 2002 as a result of a scuba diving injury. I have taken several medications to relieve the pain and spasticity from the nerve damage, none of which have been effective.Smoking marijuana is the ONLY thing that gives me relief from the pain.

I think marijuana needs to become legalized immediately. The whole war on drug is a failure and is costing this country a ridiculous amount of money that could be used for things like health care and infrastructure. Legalize pot, regulate it just like cigarettes or alcohol, and tax it to get this country on its feet. Just think of all the jobs that could be created!

When was the last time you heard about somebody smoking a little weed, then getting in his car and killing somebody? Or going home high and beating the crap out of his wife and kids? Like any drug, it has the potential for abuse, but marijuana users are, on average, a lot less violent and destructive than drinkers.

Legalize it!!!
Its about time

The legalization of marijuana would be a valuable tool for helping us to emerge from our current economic slump. It would create new jobs and industries, and really, is it worse than alcohol? Ive never heard of marijuana remission killing anyone.

Legalize it.

Marijuana should definitely be legal. Who are we as a society to ban a drug thats been in use for thousands of years, and persecute people who just want to get high? And on top of that, its been proven to be less harmful than alcohol. I just dont get it.

I have had stomach problems for decades. An FDA approved drug given me for acid reflux caused much more serious problems to my body, as well as host of other problems. Cannabis is NOT the demon.

I am a life long chronic pain and anxiety sufferer that has never lead a normal life no matter how hard I have tried. I have tried marijuana and it had remarkable effects on my digestion, anxiety, and PAIN. However, I have not adopted using it as I do not want to break the law. There are much more dangerous legal drugs, chemicals, and substances in our culture than Weed. It is time, in my opinion, for most Americans to really look at the world and reality around us.

We do not have to legalize marijuana but we really should consider decriminizing petty possesion and at the least legalize the medical prescribed use of it.

A much more open and real conversation about this topic would benefit us all. I know many alcoholics and cigarette addicts...why are we so afraid of marijuana?

After all, it is God's green earth.

Dan Vogelgesang

i have a relative who had colon cancer , received radiation , dropped his weight from 170 to 120 lbs and had no appetite .. so basically his life was slipping away and his body had no resistance to other medical problems .. he started smoking marijuana and it brought back his appetite and he started eating again and he gained all his weight back in one year .. that was 5 years ago .. he has been cancer free since . and he is alive thanks to smoking maajuana ..

I am shocked by the media's one-sided accounts of the election in Iran. It would seem that there were system-wide violations. I would instead like to hear from a group of political voting experts that could explain how these infractions could occur while there was world-wide attention.

Marijuana is less harmful than drinking. Our laws are backwards.

With our nation in extraordinary debt, the risks of a closely regulated, highly taxed marijuana industry would be completely negligible in comparison to how it would benefit our country. Availability would keep the violent Mexican drug cartels away from taking the time to smuggle pot across the border, our overcrowded prisons would have more room for real criminals, and a huge amount of money could be both saved and raised in the process. There ignorant right wing conservatives who group marijuana in with drugs like heroin and cocaine, claiming that it causes violence and perpetuates the use of other drugs. What many need to realize about this drug, which is much safer than alcohol or tobacco, is that every negative aspect of its use is due to the fact that it is illegal.

I think Marijuana should be avable to any one. My son died of AIDS cmplications abd I will regret for the rest of my life that he died one day before Marijuana was legalized. I also regret that I did not give him Marijuana to help with his appetite and his pain. His last days will haunt me forever

As an RN that has worked for over 15 years in trauma, I can tell you that I have not had 1 victim come in from only marijuana related incidents in all of the ER's I have worked in. It's time to legalize it and use the taxes to keep the economy strong! And no, this does not make America a NARCO state! There are accidents and shootings related to alcohol and narcotics, not marijuana.

as a cancer patient i would like to see marijuana legalized i think it is a product that should be available to those who need it for whatever reason i have yet to see any harm in it.

This has been the cure -all for the world for ever ! Eating,sleeping, and sex drive! When will this country wake up and smell the cure! Did anyone ever do anything wrong smoking weed, but eat too much? The sooner the better on making it legal! Especially for the ill people. God's given green herb!

Holland closed 8 prisons this year due to lack of criminals...that's not a coincidence..drunk men fight,drunk women turn easy,and drunk drivers kill-cannabis does none of those, but people get drunk and hurt others all the time and it's legal as can be..

Obama won't be the first black president, to legalize marijuana. He's already spent over a trillion dollars while in office, why would he care about the couple billion he could save on Marijuana reform?

While in the midst of holding together a crumbling economic empire, he is solving a poorly managed (Bush Administration) Middle East problem that isn't solvable. Not to mention Kim Jong has recently been feeling "so wonely" (Team America World Police). Legalizing Marijuana would be a internal political headache and Obama is too focused on international issues that need to be remedied before reviveing our withering economy.

A Toni Morrison Vs. Whoopi Goldberg'esk civil war would surly ensue!

Written while, totally baked...

It is encouraging that AC has brought this to the table and that there are so many people who know the value both to the individual and the society which could also benefit from job stimulus and tax revenue some of which could be spent on building and maintaining rehabilitation centers for people who do have addictive personality.

After hearing Melissa Ethridge first hand, seeing the Farmacy in California, and reading the blog comments, it is clear that the time for legalization may be closer than I ever dreamed. We must continue to diligently advocate for the truth to come out in the media as while it seems so obvious to those who are educated and now we may have a government willing to listen and stop federal raids, big forces with vested interests don't want to see this happen and will continue to plant seed of fear and confusion.

Thanks for airing this program. Next time I won't take three shots at getting heard and pre-write before I get here to do a WORD count.

Love the way AC asks questions to get answers like why are we so judgmental about someone who can benefit from weed.

Peace.

Legalize marijuana! The woman who had the bad experience already had a predilection for mental illness & addiction. Marijuana was not the problem. She was. I am not in any way putting her down. I am just saying that, as with all medications, not one medication suits all people. Marijuana is safer than a huge majority of the other legal drugs.

I am on methadone for pain in my joints and I hate it being addicted to the pills I live in MN and it sucks I have been on morphine and it almost killed me I get my pills from the VA and they hand it out like candy I think it would be a lot better on cannabis I think it would be alot better on my system sometimes it hurts alot and I have to take more pills I also take Gabapetin also for pain and I run out of pills and go through hell coming off the methadone I think that the people should think of the other people that cant handle the pills you should see all the pills I take to conter actthe other pills and the VA gives it out that is for sure

many drugs and plants became illegal as a way to rid thsi country of minorities. bias policies have a way of coming back to do more harm than they could ever do good. the war on drugs will bankrupt this country if americans continue to be blinded by propaganda by big business.
fine, if america wants to pay the price, don't right this wrong, and continue to be led by immature biases. at the end of the day, we will pay.

i can't quite understand how alcohol can be legal while pot isn't. I've smoked weed 1000's of times easy, and never once have done any harm to anyone because of it. Yes i've lost possessions and fogotten things. But alcohol is way more dangerous to civilians and families.. Smoke responsibly!

My son has a ten page criminal record because he was caught with FOUR OUNCES of marijuana. He was barely 21 years of age when this happened. He can't find a good-paying job and he has a college education. The government needs to reassess its policy concerning this drug. Medicinal or recreational, it seems that marijuana is not nearly as dangerous as alcohol. Let's legalize it to prevent anyone else from going to jail or getting felonies which destroy their lives.

The teacher featured in one segment who stated she would smoke 7 joints a day is either lying or absolutely crazy. One cannot continue to gain a high by continually smoking pot. Once you reach a high (if you are using only pot) then you cannot get even more high. Even the most experienced pothead will tell you that they can take a few hits and feel the effects and then snuff the joint and save it for later.

This woman's story is clearly fabricated. She also stated that she would spend $1000 on her habit. My crackhead uncle would not even spend that much on his addiction (he has since been incarcerated).

I think this story is highly false and was only produced for CNN's benefit. I only say this because her allegations against pot has been proved false not only by those who research the effects but also by those millions of users who partake in this American pastime.

pot will never be legalized because as is now(illegal) it brings in too much revenue for tobacco/alcohol/pharmecutical sales and local governments who rely on the fines, penalties and court costs gained from busting otherwise harmless individuals. But the truth is marijuana taxed by our government would be a well needed boost to the economy, free up our prisons for real criminals and can be used for clothing food medicine etc.

if we could bypass government receiving benefits and payoffs from the alcohol,tobacco,and pharmasudical companies to keep it illegal we might get somewhere reality check anderson marijuana its a non violent drug (unlike alcohol that keeps jails full for violent or stupid acts that i might ad keeps the law enforcement with more revenue) it helps people medically dont know of any side effects compared to all the drug commercials on tv stroke,heart failure,nausea,dizziness,blurriness...., and so on it should be legalized at least decriminalized i suffer from depression and anxiety and those who say it causes depression do not feel the way i feel and for all marijuana users we should just move to a state where we will not be locked up for marijuana use.i can go on and on with comparisons it needs to be legalized.

what is wrong with taking money from intercity gangs ! and crooked cops.the worst side effect is goin to jail . We have tried their way . How about some of that change stuff. legalize we wont go away on this one.

In 1974, the Medical College of Virginia, in a study funded by The National Institute of Health found that THC the active "ingredient" in marijuana slowed or eradicated 3 types of cancerous tumors in lab. mice. A recent 2000 study in Madrid, Spain found the EXACT SAME results. This from a plant that just GROWS LIKE THAT. Nothing man made is added to it.

Speaking of man made. Flintstone vitamins are perfectly legal and sold over the counter and recommended for children. But, how many parents have been mortified to find their child has eaten over the dosage allowed and how many of those have actually overdosed on a LEGAL substance(the added Iron is the culprit here) specially formulated for our children. Now take into account exactly how many people have overdosed because of marijuana. There is NO record of anyone ever overdosing on JUST marijuana. Scientists have been unable to give marijuana an LD50 number (which every drug has, it's how much of that drug it takes to actually overdose and kill someone) They haven't been able to give an LD50 number because they have been UNABLE to overdose lab mice even just injecting them with straight THC.

I'm not saying that marijuana is for everyone, because like everything else in this world it isn't. There are people that for one reason or another, their system can't handle it. There are people who are allergic to it, and then there are the people who just can't handle themselves on it (sorta like the people that can drink, but can't "hold their alcohol") I'm saying it should simply be offered as a choice, a more natural way of dealing with medical issues from anxiety to cancer, to MS, to migraine headaches, and even in ADHD in children as found in more recent studies.

It's time for the elected officials to listen to the people who put them in their positions.

I have had 2 back surgeries as well as 1 GI. I have been given lots of pain killers which don't work and get me a whole lot higher than pot! I take pot instead and I am able to take care of my young son and home. I wouldn't be able to do anything on the meds! Pot continues to save me and my family everyday. It's scary to know that I could go to jail, lose my son as well as my home just because of pot!! I am NOT uneducated and to the idiot who said that you shouldn't make judgements on people just because YOU are ignorant! Child molesters run free to harm our kids and I'm the criminal? Decriminalize NOW!!!

Everyone can write in support of marijuana all day, but what good does that do? We need to find a way to put this issue on every state ballot and let all people vote on the issue. I'm pretty sure it would pass in just about every state. One more thought...Once marijuana becomes legal in states for medicinal purposes, I believe tests should be done with people concerning its effectiveness in controlling high blood pressure. Once it can be perscribed for high blood pressure, which it obviously would help, so many people would be able to smoke legally.

Anderson, you should wake up. It's been one big lie all along. It should have never been made illegal in the fist place. The benefits of this plant are many, the cost of keeping it illegal are incredable. Some will have problems with any substance but, why do adults face such draconian punishment for a naturally occuring plant? Why Anderson? Is it so much to ask. By the way Marinol is 95% THC sinthetic and legal? EXPLAIN..

I think we should turn away from the marijuana debate on whether it hsould be legalized or not; it'll be around for many years to come. We need to turn our attention to a much more specific topic within the controversay: recreational or medical purposes? If pot was to become legal, what jurisdictions would be placed upon it? Could everybody use it? Would it be pharmaceutical use only? These are the questions we need to pay close attetnion to. My opinion on the subject, yes, marijuana should be legal. The people that use it now, will not likely quit using it just because the gov't tells them to.

I've been smoking pot for over 35 years, at times as much as one can humanly smoke. I've always worked, I've never had legal problems, I have a master's degree, a strong credit score, and at 52 years old I'm not on any prescription medications. If I drankl alcohol or did cocaine on the same levvel for this long I'd be dead, but either because of or in spite of smoking pot on that level, I'm in perfect health.

This stuff is magical, at least it works for me, and I think it's criminal for the government to try to take something away from me that I perceive to be at least not harmful, probably beneficial, and definitely enjoyable.

I do believe that Marijuana would make a huge difference in this country and world. Legalization should of been done way back in the 70s. Most of the people that have not tried it are against it because they see all the false information about it. I smoked it years ago and choose to not now but I don't have a problem with someone else wanting to smoke it. That is there right. We could put money back into the system by making it legal. The marijuana in the streets can be mixed with anything and therefore it isn't safe. Ships in many different containers even laundry soap. Mixed with other drugs to get you wanting more at times. But Marijuana on its own never gave me the addiction feeling. It was nice to have no pain and be able to have a great nights sleep.
So legalize it. Make it 21 and over. I will keep it out of my kids hands till they are old enough.

Just legalize it, more people die because of tylenol, and asprin then by marijuana. And its a pretty good pain reliever, as well as a nausea suppressor. Though it does effect brain function it still doesn't compare to alcohol in how much damage it does to the body. So we should legalize it, tax it reasonably, and use that money to help fund education, and health care. There is no reasonable argument to keeping it illegal. Unless you want more innocent people killed and arrested

doesn't the government work for us,why was this every inacted tobacco is a drug that has no medical use(i'm a smoker) and it's not scheduled,yet as time has shown with our government big money dictates our policy,i would like to think that i as an adult could make a choice in my life without the government making the choice for me,i can lesd troops in battle,have their lives depend on my decision ,prove to be compentent in anyway else,but how i would spend my free time to relax is limited to alchol cigerettes and abusing pills,thank god for nyquil and pseudaphed as Denis Lyrere said

Melissa you are great keep on fighting the good fight ..............................now down to biz 8 years ago I was in a hold up shot 2 times in the chest 1 in the groin I am no punk I was a 40 year old man I kept fighting when he ran out of bullets he used the gun as a hammer thats what took me out nothing would stop spinning after they left i chewed thru the duct tape called 911 put them on hold called my boss I was at the emergency room via ambulance by 8:30 fri night no majior organs were hit the I checked out of the the next tues the exploritory surgery did the most damage left me with a 8 inch scar could not sleep Dr gave me zanex still could not sleep smoked pot slept like a baby later about 5 months went to a truck show on the way to the gate had a panic atack took a couple of hits off a joint went back no worries still have pain from cut I will not get high at work but after it is nice to sit down and relax smoke a joint and sit back I bring this up becuse pepole do not under stand the theraputic afect it has when a life altering event happens to them I hope that if some one offers to burn one with them they will not think twice just try it you will be amazed PTSD it can help

Hey Anderson,

I feel that the doctors should be your target audience in this entire special. Get the doctors rallying for the legalization, and you have captured the public. If the citizens see that most GOVERNMENT VARIFIED PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS rally behind the legalization of marijuana, even some of the people that are against pot would change their minds.

Absolutely legalize for the benefit of man and the economy. It's a substance of choice and readily available. Right now it consumes our legal system and our weapons against real criminals and disastrous drugs like meth and heroin. Let's get real and think clearly.

With regards to the story of the woman with bi-polar disease that smoked pot, it was on this morning. The story made it sound like her problem was with marijuana, her problem was that she was BI-POLAR! Don't make it sound like the weed almost killed her, that's rediculous. She was no more addicted to the pot than she is now to the lithium. This country needs to have an open an honest discussion about the legalization of marijuana. A drug that is less dangerous than tobacco, or alcohol, and has tremendous medical value! I've never heard of anyone getting stoned and then becoming violent, or beligerant, or going off and getting in a fight or endangering other people in any way. Usually they just sink into the couch for a while and relax! Where's the danger to society in that? Half the perscription drugs on the market and advertised on television every day have worse side effects than that!