Allowing people to grow plants for personal consumption is the best way to go.

Pros:
Addiction will not jeopardize a persons financial stability because profit motive by third parties are taken out of the equation.
Cons:
Addiction and gateway drug scenario still a problem for persons with addictive personality disorder.
Marijuana grown by experts for dispensing to third parties such as what's happening in California is a higher quality and can be grown to address specific medical needs.
Solutions:
Persons wishing to grow there own will be required to take classes on proper growing techniques prior to a grow your own license being issued.
Persons with a history of addictive personality disorders will be required to have permission from a doctor prior to obtaining a grow your own license.

Prohibition dosent work. Never has and never will. I am a responsible, hard working, taxpaying citizen If i want to smoke a joint in my own home thats my right and my choise not anyone elses

Good Morning Penny

What's the dfifference between marjuanna and liquor? It represents addiction for people who have no self control over thier use. i can't see the harm in using it for medical purposes .Poeple who are wanting to grow it should have a licence to have thier plants just like the liqour board reqiures a liqour permit .They are assuming the worst case senrio . Anderson 's story was smokin' and the virieties in whicvh it's sold wow candies ,cookie form oh yeah treal sweet treats uh um um .That cat serial killer story makes me sick as a cat owner myself it's cruel and sad for this to be happenning .

Thanks for the buzz
Michelle D.

Good day, Penny!

Yesterday the show was very good! The conversation about pot was interesting and elucidated. I am in favor of legalization, both in the U.S. as in Brazil, but for medical purposes and in a controlled way.

The Council of Guardians in Iran accepts recount votes of the the election, but will recount that is reliable?
Is that were critical of the international community or the pressure of the streets, which led the government of Iran to accept the recount?

A apart: but also establish an election 'manual' in 2 hours, is unbelievable. Not here in Brazil that the process is all computerized, the result comes out in 2 hours.

What? Do you think that the fans of AC like to talk about marijuana? Everything that is forbidden is more tasty ... lol ...

I don't heard about the serial killer of cats. What horrible thing!

See you later! Thanks!

there is no connection between marijuana and bi polar disorder
I am bi polar
and I am not addicted and I don't have thoughts of suicide
that woman can't blame her illness on marijuana

there is just no medical proof to back up that story

In time: the history of the English boy Daniel Blair, of four years, is my suggestion for the Shot.

Daniel Blair loved Dyno, a Cocker Spaniel with a week old and decided to take a bath in his puppy. Where? In the toilet ... the story is incredible!

No..you are wrong. We do not love talking about pot! If you read twitter and the net you would see that NORML and the other pot sites are camped out here to spread their propaganda. I could care less about pot and think it's a waste of 360 and CNN's time to be reporting on it. I mean our economy is in shambles, we are in two wars...and there are bombings there everyday which you all NEVER talk about, Iran is having a revolution it seems and yet what do y'all want to waste time on? POT!! Looks like to me that you really aren't a news show after all. Who ever picked this subject to report on really needs their heads checked and their priorities straightened out.

As to the Melissa Ethridge report last night...what a joke. She smokes marijuana because she is addicted to it. Acid reflux is nothing more than your common every day heartburn. PLEASE! There are many meds you can use for that and even herbs also that have NO side effects. Plus Anderson gave no stats what so ever of the percentage of users who actually have to smoke it for medicinal purpose opposed to ones who just smoke it to get high. As to getting high Melissa said she doesn't get high, well that was a lie too. When she smokes and her pain goes away...she is high! The THC has deadened her pain sensation which is a part of being high. She is what you call being on a functioning high. Where you can do your everyday things and no one will notice you are high. The other type is the laid back stoned to the bone that can't do anything.

If you are going to report on this subject then how about REALLY reporting on it with REAL stats and tell the truth about the whole deal. Anderson should have called out Melissa on the not being high and the acid reflux deal. Yet once again he didn't do a full job there.

Cindy..Ga.

Holland just closed 8 prisons. coincidence?

I have been smoking pot for 25 yrs+ icant really say it has helped me nor any nreal side-effects like taking prozac, lithium, effexor, respirdal, how many " legal" and more dangerous drugs can i name off before Congress & the F.D.A start to listen to the masses.

I just saw the random clips they are showing on CNN about medical marijuana use. The woman with bipolar disorder has made a non-addictive substance appear worse than it really is. She might have a mental disorder and be depressed, so maybe instead of blaming it on marijuana she can blame it on how boring her life is, maybe she should go see the local circus to cheer her up. I enjoy smoking marijuana and I believe that with the right regulations and policies, this could turn into a large cash crop for the US and also a way to provide jobs. She just represents the small group of idiots who have no self-control or the willingness to get off their couches to improve their lives. Marijuana being illegal just shows how ignorant the people who make this countries decisions really are. Instead of battling marijuana users, why not battle a substance that produces no medical benefits like TOBACCO. If your going to smoke something, make it worth your while.

to cindy,
u really need to get ur facts straight before putting ur 2cents in, whats the difference between marijuana that people smoke to take their pain away or "get high" as u say , and people who are prescribed drugs like lortab, oxcycotin, or other very strong and much more harmful man made drugs. So those people are getting "high" too, trying to take their pain away. Whatever u want to call it getting high or taking someones pain away. The other drugs that they make millions on prescribing people each year are way more harmful and addicting, kill more people every year...... u want stats look it up ur self... it true

and melissa ethridge had cancer , not just acid reflux.... thats just one of many things marijuana helps w/ besides pain.

and the people who choose to lay back and get stoned and cant do a thing , thats up to them , they may be the same people who choose to get addicted to the oxycotin their Dr prescribes them and over dose from it like thousands do each year. Thats a people problem not a marijuana problem

and yes we do love talking about pot

I agree Fred theirs no connection with that issue. Cindy the reason it has made it to CNN is because it is a popular topic. I’m sorry that you don’t feel like it deserves the attention that it is receiving at the moment but you must not pay attention to the news considering they are only debating it because of revenue.
I am personally glad that Anderson Cooper has even picked up the topic maybe some people will understand a little better and possibly get more informed about the issue. We already have enough dumb Americans spewing out information that they don't even comprehend themselves.
I honestly think that they should just legalize it for medical purpose for all states and then regulate it a little better but not tax it all to hell like they are cigarettes. Cigarettes foot the bill in almost every state for some stupid government program that should find a better source of revenue or cease to exist. As for FL we just need to get over the fact that we can rely on our lack of a state tax and our Full-Time government (cough cough).

Saw the same thing on CNBC. It was on Marijuana Inc. I think.

They showed the secret pot gardens in the CA forest, the Mexican workers, the DEA all smug and proud with their big guns.

What a waste of money, fuel, research, etc. etc?

DEA go spend your money on stopping cocaine and meth or education!

I hope this deal on AC360 is not going to show the same thing!!!!

Ooooo there's pot being grown in forest!!!!! Well the joke is on the US, who could be making money on they way they do on alcohol. Instead of just burning that evil devil weed. So silly.

I am concerned after listening to your morning report (woman is suicidal re: pot) because it is not a fair representation of marijuana usage.
First of all, as the doctor on the piece explained, no one who is experiencing depression should ever use a drug of any kind that would exacerbate that condition. Most people should know that and if they don't should absolutely consult their physician for treatment, not the internet.
I have used marijuana RECREATIONALLY for many years (along with many more people than would admit to it I assure you.)
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1994. My physician and I tried many many combinations of drugs for pain management. None of these worked successfully. The prescription drugs made it almost impossible for me to work and main any productive life at all. Eventually, after literal years my doctor and I agreed adding marijuana to my program as a pain manger might make sense. I am familiar with as stated above with pot for recreational purposes and I mean God grown natural marijuana, not processed or changed pot. I have been successfully (working, living productively no problem) using marijuana for over 15 years. While I realize I border on the politically incorrect here; after seeing the piece I can assure you most people would not misuse pot as I am sure this young woman did. What I ask you to do is find, if you can, the hundreds (if not thousands) of people who have been smoking marijuana for whatever reason for years. Now there may be an argument for indulging in any escapist "drug". I have always argued that the number one addicting drug in our nation and many others is alcohol. But we sell and promote alcohol everywhere. This we know, and no one is talking about the days of prohibition and going back to them. Please remember I have stated clearly that using anything that would restrict or conflict your daily activities is simply ridiculous and senseless. But I am getting a little tired of people reporting and testifying against a weed that grows naturally on this planet. In its pure state (and not in combination with any other drug) used with intelligence marijuana has still proven over the years to be far less threatening that anything else we hold readily available. Just report it fairly is all that I ask. I will always, if I feel the need to "get high," (and I hate that expression) use marijuana rather than alcohol to promote a feeling of relaxation. I am 57 years old and know what I am talking about. Thank you for your time.
Cynthia Jelley

To the Cindy person above, apperintly you have not done your homework or took a little time to do a some research and, you have been brain washed by Reffer Madness. We should have the right just like you to do what we want in the privicy of our own homes.
This is not a war on drugs it’s a war on Americans many of which are law abiding, tax paying citizens who need the medicine. Many americans are tired of the failed Drug War and people going to prison for noviolent offence's.

Please President Obama Legalize, Tax, and Regulate, many innocent american lives are in your hands!

Marijuana being illegal in this country is a disgrace! Alcohol is sooo much more destructive. The fact that people who smoke marijuana are considered criminals and those who consume alcohole are near heros baffels my mind...

Those that are against legalizing pot. Look at the numbers of people that are incarcerated on a daily basis for drug users and non-violent offenders. 6 out of 10 of those incarcerated are non violent drug offenders. Marijuana plants are 60% of the drugs coming from Mexico. Legalizing and education are the key. Just as some people choose not to drink or smoke, people will just as well choose not to smoke pot. As far as the smell is concerned, I guarantee you shortly after it is legalized, a strain of odorless marijuana will be discovered/ created. I do not use any kind of drugs. I'm not a marijuana smoker. What people do in their home behind closed doors is their own business. Marijuana use should be illegal in public areas, however, we shouldn't lock people up for it! I'm sure there will be fines if you are caught with a lit joint in a public area. Also, the penalties should be similar to alcohol. You can possess marijuana in small amounts but if you are pulled over and the cops find a lit marijuana cigarette you can be fined / and or temporarily taken to jail for driving while intoxicated.

Marijuana is far less dangerous than alcohol or tobacco. Around 50,000 people die each year from alcohol poisoning. Similarly, more than 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to tobacco smoking. By comparison, marijuana is nontoxic and cannot cause death by overdose. According to the prestigious European medical journal, The Lancet, "The smoking of cannabis, even long-term, is not harmful to health. ... It would be reasonable to judge cannabis as less of a threat ... than alcohol or tobacco."

Replying to Cindy..Ga.

"...Melissa said she doesn’t get high, well that was a lie too. When she smokes and her pain goes away…she is high!"

Perhaps you'd care to elucidate the populous with the proper pain management techniques, that would've been more beneficial for Melissa, since you are so intimately knowledgeable about her particular case.

Chemotherapy is a small slice of he.l.l., as I understand it. If pot alleviates that or, God forbid, actually makes a patient feel good, who is the government to deny a sick or dying person that comfort, in whatever form it comes in?

it blows my mind and always has that the goverment tells me what to do with my body.this country is not a free country only free to do what they say is ok

How do they ever expect to keep marijuana out of the US when they can't even keep drugs out of State and Federal prisons?

Anderson,

Great show last night (Monday). I'm excited to DVR the rest of the week! I think it's about time to wrap this up and start focusing on bigger issues. I completely disagree with ALL the statements made by the bipolar though. She has way more personal demons to deal with that pot was never meant to fix. The Fed's need to swollow their pride – how embarassing that a plant is their biggest concern. What a joke. I sell insurance. I wish my "to-do" list involved blowing millions of dollars riding in helicopters all day looking for beautiful, aromatic plants that generally improves quality of life. How can I get that job?

Cindy have you ever smoked or consumed cannabis? I find it very amusing that the people who are most against this plant have never tried it, and have no experience in its use, yet for some reason they are ALWAYS the 'experts' telling other people how it will affect them. From what knowledge base are you making your opinion? Also you claim that Melissa Ethridge is "addicted" to smoking cannabis. For the one millionth time, it has been proven in many scientific studies to be physically IMPOSSIBLE to become addicted to using cannabis. Cannabis use can be habit forming, but so is drinking diet coke and look at how many people drink that stuff (to their detriment I might add). My final point is to say that we live in America, a land of freedom, yet there are MILLIONS of Americans who have had their freedom curtailed because of their choice to use a substance that is deemed 'wrong' by a small but vocal segment of society. Imprisonment, loss of jobs, loss of social status, THESE are the reasons why this is such a hot topic. Because you have not been personally affected by the scourge of cannabis prohibition does not negate the fact that MILLIONS of Americans have and continue to be oppressed under these laws, so perhaps you should think about that fact when you are asking "who cares about pot?"

Use of marijuana by someone with a terminal illness does not bother me. However, I find legalization of marijuana disturbing. It makes me think that legalization will facilitate increased use as well as abuse. Marijuana is a hallucinogen. We need to look for other ways to cope or change our lives.

cindy, what are you even doing watching cnn? and i love how the woman w/ bipolar disorder and suicidal tendencies is now taking lithium. a far worse substance!

I use a responsible form of marijuana called sativex. The product is made by bayer in govenment labs in Great Britan and is legal in Canada. It controls my spasms and nausea much better than opiates and anti spasmatic meds.,with much fewer side affects The buccal spray is a safe herbal tincture mixed with peppermint oil. You simply spray it inside your cheeks. No harmful smoke, no regulating private sales, no gro-ops in backyards and basements. The use is monitored by my doctor and pharmacist. The initial cost of this new product is prohibitive, but can be made cheaply if demand rises. This product eliminates most political concerns, and deserves medical trials at least.

Just reading these comments and watching the stories on AC360 (great topic, great coverage, excellent venue for public awareness, thank you AC!) makes me wonder why it's still illegal. What people are voting on this issue? In this democratic society, shouldn't the people be voting on the issues? Why has this not yet been done? Doesn't Mr. President Obama want to give the people their freedoms back? What a historic (even MORE historic!) his time in office could be if he would just allow what he already believes in himself!

I am a Canadian and have been trying to follow what has been going on with marijuana in the US as much as possible. Canada tried to decriminalize it years ago. I think the DEA being in Canada, the extradition of Marc Emery and political pressures about the issue question our sovereignty as a nation.

North America could certainly stand to take a more European approach on alot of issues... but this isn't about halth care, education or quality of living.

I hope that Anderson hits on the history of marijuana and why its actually illegal,and why its still illegal,I can tell you why 2 BIG reasons one the prison lndustrial complex there is BIG money in prisons we build 8 prisons for every college, and two the pharmecutical companies are fighting this big time ,think of the money they would lose if we could grow our own meds not to mention the amount of lobbying the drugs companies do with our govt,,its time our govt is honest with us and quit picking capitalism and big buisness over the American people!!

Notice how there are usually only one or two comments in favor of prohibition and the vast majority are in favor of legalization or at least decriminalization in these articles? I don't find that to be a coincidence, and nor should anyone else reading these cannabis related articles.

I hope so!

There is pot in my park. I planted it there. Of course, it is only a dozen plants and the 'park' is actually a conservation area.

Anslinger and Hearst were after power and money. Now the incarceration industry, from defense lawyers to private, government funded prisons, to police receiving grants and/or profits from auctioned property combined with the pharmaceutical industry, conspire to keep Cannabis prohibited.

But the laws are so ridiculous, that they are generally ignored.

I smoke pot, and I vote!

LOL!!!

You need to stop regurgitating DEA propaganda and fear Cindy. I'm not a member of NORML or any other group. I am an educated professional, member of society, straight laced white male.

And like that other guy said–I smoke pot and I vote.

Cindy – First of all, the drug cartels wouldn't undercut legal marijuana because, if people could grow it legally, its value as a cash crop should be reduced since there will be greater supply and potentially decreased market demand due to many users growing their own. Taking away the monetary incentive and eliminating the black market would essentially put the cartels out of busniness. The government could then tax legal distribution channels but create a taxable price equal to or below the current black market level, which would generate huge revenues (certainly not enough to solve all of our economic problems as some would have you believe) and at the same time we could reduce the cost of law enforcement, prisons, etc. and allocate those resources to more important issues like homeland security. Furthermore, industrial hemp could then be grown adding greatly to our economy as a cash crop. It could be exported, reducing our trade deficit and used domestically as a substitute for wood pulp, reducing deforestation. Second of all, marijuana users generally aren't "junkies" requiring "rehab." Most users have been using it responsibly for years and the causal relationship between marijuana use and "accidents" and health problems is likely substantially lower than that of legal substances like alcohol. Lastly, Bob Marly did not die of cancer relating to marijuana use. He had a form of melanoma in his big toe and refused to have it amputated. It then spread throughout his body so you could say he died of skin cancer.

my tweet to AC......

revraygreen@andersoncooper tonight on ac360:IS THERE POT IN YOUR PARK ? damn I wish itchychoo park you say,how do we get there,what will we do there ?

I think the awnser is simple. Let us vote on it

I smoked pot for over 30 years, thank God I don't anymore. As you can see, I can spell and visibly enunciate so that the "masses" might understand. By the way, do pot smokers ALL spell badly, or is that another issue entirely?
Anyway, on legalization (as stated for "medicinal" purposes, and in a "controlled" platform), I can see the government sitting around thinking: Economy bad, need to create jobs, Barry's on the throne and inhales, convince him of personal advantage, BUT, we got big mouths with time to kill who've already taken away "rights" to smoke cigarettes, isn't pot smoking inhaling toxicity, won't we have to appoint a cannabis czar after awhile, doesn't that sound in a roundabout way like cannabis cartel czar, won't the courts be even further backed up by "intoxication" cases. Poor government.....
Just on a sidebar: "Addictive Personality Disorder" is just as much a crock as "ADHD", which, by the way, has initiated MILLIONS of innocent young children to the ways and means of mind-alteration.
If addiction is a disease, it's the only one we Americans spend billions on every year trying to SPREAD. GO legalization!

Cindy above is scary and intolerant. She represents are very old, scary way that is thankfully fading away in America.

A couple things come to mind here. here the assertion that 700 cannabis plants has a value of 3.5MK or $5K per plant is just hyperbole. Does your CNN reporter even bother to do the math here? Do you think to question these authorities about the claim of 5,000 per plant or do you ask other more independent sources for their opinions?

Second, the idea of growing of public lands springs from the prohibition against cannabis. Nothing more. Legalize cannabis and regulate production and these hidden farms will move to american farmlands and will be a fully domestic product.

Now, even with the prohibition the facts (as touted by our government) demonstrate that cannabis is the #1 cash crop in 14 states (including California) and that marijuana imports fuel the drug cartels as well as support western Canada's economy. Canada sells more cannabis than lumber. There are a number of other countries that also export cannabis. Given these sum of cannabis consumption one would think that the number of Americans consuming Cannabis has to greater than the 15 MK high functioning citizens as asserted by the DEA. Do the math here too. Also while we're at it... if the feds and the various states taxed cannabis like alcohol... what sort of revenue would the tax generate?

Finally–in response to Yep!...I am a defense lawyer and many of us work tirelessly to legalize cannabis because we see the absurd and unjust effect of the prohibition first hand and we also know how many police officers, prosecutors and judges also secretly consume cannabis but lead double lives. I don't dispute that the local police agencies prosecute cannabis consumption when they are fueled by federal grant money from the notorious DEA. A better question is the economies and effectiveness of using those public funds as compared to how much is actually prosecuted. Part of the inflation of street values as touted from the various agencies using these monies to prosecute cannabis production to to justify the expenditure of these funds. Of course, our media generally just drinks whatever kool-aid assertion the authorities touts without question or further investigation.

There are commercials on television everyday about all kinds of "medicine" which have far more dangerous side effects than marijuana. I'm not a pot expert, but I have never heard of any deaths involving weed. I do not smoke pot. I do not drink alcohol. That is my choice. As an American, I should be able to choose whether or not to do something that has no ill effects on other people. Wasn't pot made illegal because of the competition between cotton and hemp? I think I'm right on that, but not sure. This should not even be an issue. If someone is sick and a doctor thinks marijuana can help them, then that person should be able to use it without being humiliated by being arrested. How can anybody be against that?

I am 57 years, living in Central Oregon. Twenty years ago I was diagnosed with Degenerative Joint and Disc Disease and Degenerative Arthritis. I am in constant pain -

I am a registered OMMP patient – (Oregon Medical Marijuana Program) None of the medications my doctors have prescribed over the years has done little to touch the constant muscle spasms – Until I found the very effective cannabis relief.

I am very grateful for the Oregon law that permits me to medicate with mmj – when nothing else worked.
Thank you.

Look at the 1999 report for the Institutes of Medicine. Anderson please discredit the gateway theory. This will get you started

"The Institute of Medicine's 1999 report on marijuana explained that marijuana has been mistaken for a gateway drug in the past because "Patterns in progression of drug use from adolescence to adulthood are strikingly regular. Because it is the most widely used illicit drug, marijuana is predictably the first illicit drug most people encounter. Not surprisingly, most users of other illicit drugs have used marijuana first. In fact, most drug users begin with alcohol and nicotine before marijuana - usually before they are of legal age"

In March 1999, the Institute of Medicine issued a report on various aspects of marijuana, including the so-called Gateway Theory (the theory that using marijuana leads people to use harder drugs like cocaine and heroin). The IOM stated: "There is no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs.

According to CASA (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse), there is no proof that a causal relationship exists between cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and other drugs. Basic scientific and clinical research establishing causality does not exist.

"The World Health Organization's investigation into the gateway effect of marijuana stated emphatically that the theory that marijuana use by adolescents leads to heroin use is the least likely of all hypotheses"

To Matt I think the problem is Canada and the U.S are close allies and with anything from social to military agendas Americas answer is always attack, divide and conquer when the word drug war was thrown in there our Govt went crazy, they love war!!!And stupid long lasting ones that dont make sense!!

The only connection between Bipolar/ADHD and marijuana is the rate of Substance Use Disorder, or "experimentation" or "self-medication" prior to diagnosis. Just like Nicotine addiction/dependence aka smoking, and alcohol abuse/dependence. Are these really "gateway drugs" due to the psychoactive substance or due to society's response and hence, an act of rebellion/independence.

Yes. we are talking psychoactive substances, ethanol, nicotine, tetrahydrocannabinoid, opiates, etc.
I think the biggest risk for chronic use marijuana use if legalized would be, like protease inhibitors for HIV, obesity. Note that the first endocannabinoid receptor blocker was approved in Europe but not the US due to concerns of precipitated depression (like we dont have enough here). It was approved due to ability to alter fat and hence glucose metabolism and body mass (adiposity, aka fatness).

If pot is not growing in one of your State Parks, then, of course, someone is smoking pot there, either way, like it or not, MaryJane is in the every State Parks of USA.

Has anyone seen "honorable" Mark Kirk's call to give people 25years in prison for a first time offense of carrying cannabis with potency over 15%? What a joke, how draconian! He actually says that this cannabis is just as harmful as crack! How ignorant do you have to be before they stop you from being a congressman?

honestly,are there people who still really think pot is worse than alcohol?
I have to say that I personally think that to legalize will start a whole new way of corruption but pot is no more dangerous than alcohol or cigarettes.. they are legal so until that's different it's kind of a double standard.

The ideologically driven arguments presented against marijuana use in this country are rooted in failure, primarily through prohibitionist policies. Pragmatism is not even minutely evident in the “war” against drugs, which is largely attributed to “saving” society from marijuana. The authorities dedicated to sharing their presumptuous wisdom (via propaganda) are more concerned in political self-preservation or moral high-mindedness—no pun intended.

The idea that because today’s cannabis is extremely loaded with THC compared with that of 30 years ago presumes that adult users are dumb. For a comparative example, consider that two glasses of an alcoholic beverage are placed side by side with one glass containing 12 ounces of beer and the other containing 12 ounces of 100 proof vodka. The presumption made by those arguing against marijuana indicates that one would consume as much of one as the other without regard to the difference between the two, resulting in extreme intoxication from one and a light buzz from the other. In reality, users smoke much less of the more potent varieties. An educated, experienced user will usually agree that smoking too much is not as pleasant as a light or moderate “buzz”.

From a moral perspective, it is much worse to meddle with someone’s life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness than it is to catch a buzz in a responsible manner. This is an adult issue although opponents of taxation and regulation of marijuana present childish arguments, usually making no distinction between the two.

Current arguments built on the prohibition paradigm are riddled with ignorance. Current policies or “solutions” based on the paradigm of prohibition present the issue of drugs in America irresponsibly and illogically. Therefore, we need a paradigm shift in approaching substance use, abuse, and treatment. Education and truth are essential.

I grew up in a small southern town in upstate South Carolina and graduated high school in 1973. I witnessed my small town go from a place of no drugs to a place where all drugs eventually became available over a period of just a couple of years. The approach to dealing with substance use has not changed very much over the years. The same old rhetoric and moral high-mindedness maintains the status quo. Problems associated with substance abuse and issues regarding treatment are actually worse now.

It is rare to observe a leader with the guts to present the issue with pragmatism and willingness to debate or consider the issue outside the prohibitionist mindset. Taxing and regulating the manufacture, distribution, sale and use of marijuana by adults only, with stiff penalties for contributing any substance to minors, is the best start to getting a grip on the essential issues pertaining to all drugs—not just in America but also around the world. Another important point is that substance use/abuse is primarily a medical issue. Law enforcement dictating what kind or how any substance should be used has not worked—ever.

I've noticed how CNN and other television news outlets discuss marijuana legalization through only two points of view– those who smoke it and are for legalization and those who don't and are against legalization. I don't smoke and I'm not saying I support legalization, but I've always been curious of the middle ground when it comes to this issue and other ones. Maybe if more non-smokers joined the fight in legalization, they would get more accomplished on their part. As of now, though, the government and apparently TV news corporations only see two points of view.

I believe pot smoking in college is rampant. Don't fool yourself, mom or dad. It is. Whether it's good or bad, as a parent we all should be having open discussions about it with our kids. Cooper's segment is a wonderful opportunity for great conversations with our kids. Thank you.

To Mike the attorney–my apologies for the gross generalization. I know that there are many within the legal and law enforcement communities working tirelessly to, at the bare minimum, reduce penalties for simple Cannabis possession. But you must admit that you are greatly outnumbered by those 'on the take'. The tide is turning, and a national dialogue is starting to take shape, but the flow of money will make this a difficult fight.

Keep up the good work, and my thanks to you and all other activists standing up and saying 'ENOUGH!'

Support you local farmer!

You can overdose and die from alcohol, but not from pot. Alcohol is directly linked to 12,000 traffic deaths/yr in USA and 10's of thousands of rapes and other violent assaults/yr in USA. The only way the gov't made the deadly drug, alcohol, more deadly was to criminalize it. 1in4 deaths in the workplace is due to alcohol, yet for the 1000's of wokplaces the drug test to see if you smoked pot in the last month, none have a breathalyzer to see if you imbibed before entering the workplace. In the 5000 years of recorded use of pot the worse that can be said of it is: it makes people not give 100%.

I struggle with the concept that today in a free country we arrest honest, law abiding, tax paying citizens for possession of marijuana . I own a business that I started 5 years ago, we have had great success. I employ 11 people. I am a recreational smoker, I was a smoker when I started my company. I have more than 19 friends who smoke and run successful companies. The American people need to stand up and be heard. Make it clear to the old politicians that you will vote them out if they agree with prohibition.

Anyone who endorses prohibition is racist to the core. Look back through history and find the real reason marijuana was outlawed. If we were truly politically correct, we would drop our racist ways and end prohibition.

With ALL drugs there is a big difference between drug use and drug abuse!! Not all users need help and surely dont need to go to jail,but when the abuser realizes there is a problem he needs to feel that there is help not just the cops wanting to lock them up!

Hi Penny!
You are right. AC fans like talking about pot. It seems to be a huge issue these days and personally, I will just be glad when it is legal and we don't need to debate it.
The marujuana plant is indeed a gift for us to use. Nature is miraculous!
Thank you all for this report!

Once it’s legal, not much will change.

The same people who smoke, will smoke the same amount. The people who don’t smoke, simple won’t smoke.

It will be exciting for the first 6 months, then it will be basically the same.

So just legalize it and tax it. And don’t let have kids have it… just like alcohol. Duh!?! Educate instead of scaring people.

In a recent article in the Economist Magazine entitled "A Pot of Gold", a case was made for ending our counterproductive "War on Drugs". In a manner that is intuitively understandable, the article lays out the many benefits that would accrue, from saving the $40 billion we spend every year trying to eliminate the supply of drugs, to eliminating the arrest of over 1.5 million citizens each year and the incarceration of over one half million of them. Treating the cultivation of marijuana the same as we do that of our wine industry would reduce by 70% the flow of money to the Mexican cartels and save over 6,000 lives being lost each year to drug violence. In addition, the benefits to local economies and the tax revenues gained there from would be huge.
Why then, don't we turn our crisis in Mexico into an opportunity to change a failed policy?

June 16th, 2009 11:23 am ET

I think the awnser is simple. Let us vote on it

I have been saying that for years! But I bet we would never get the truth. Since I do not smoke those nasty ciggs, nor am I regular drinker, I guess I will cont. to happily hand my money over to the Mexican Cartels for my weed. I would be more than happy to hand it over to this country's benefit but since our country is run by idiots, only the Cartels will benefit from it. I am a college grad. now disabled, that worked for many years. And I also vote, not that is helps much.

With the story of Corrupt cops in Texas I wouldn't be suprised if the DEA was not confinscating the pot & turning around & selling it themselves.
Our California State Legislature has got to be smoking some of it with some of the dumb things they propose. How about investigating that CNN & keep them Honest.

Please stop calling the cannabis medicine "POT" Anderson cooper, that name comes from street slang and it is inappropriate.
Its called marijuana, cannabis and it requires a doctors recommendation to encounter such medical medication.
Anderson cooper was caught Monday by the public, breaking federal law process during his first encounter with a video camera in a marijuana dispensary. Anderson cooper did not follow the procedures of signing up to join a cannabis cooperative and did not show the public any recommendation.
Beware of Anderson cooper, the war on drugs is being played by the media.

"they destroyed a marijuana garden, with police", What type of people are these with the media?

Against the legalization of marijuana! The media tricks the public with street slang and breaks into medical marijuana dispensaries.

In 1937 marijuana was banned by the federal government? 10 patients across the U.S. recieve marijuana from the federal government to help with medical preoblems. The initial ban was ludicrous considering that it was hemp that the competing timber companies wanted gone. Hemp can benefit our depleting resources. If the government can't learn from history, than it should learn from its mistakes. Legalize dont criticize.

Pot in my national forests and parks? The stuff is a weed, I pity all the other plants deprived of water and nutrients. Actually... this does make me want to take a trip to the nearest state park, perhaps I'll save a ton of cash, but if it were legalized wouldn't producers have to grow on a farm rather than ruin our forest and parkland?

Now don't get me wrong, the idea of being able to collect wild pot from a park like a blueberry does fill my inner pothead with a bit of a giggle, but I'd rather the growers could grow on a proper farm rather than spreading a weed over a park.

So, as a loyal AC360 viewer who "loves to talk about pot", legalize it already. That is all.

I have been a pot smoker for a lot of years. I worked 6 days a week, pay my bills, pay my taxes, and mind my own business. I don't steal, I don't lie, I treat people like I want them to treat me. I have never had a ticket, nor an accident. I have never been in jail. I worked for BIG BROTHER for along time. While doing my job I broke my back. I now have a metal rod. For years I had to quit smoking pot because if you are prescribed certain pain medications then you must undergo a drug test when ordered by the doctor. I tried all their combinations of all their different medications. I gained weight, I developed high blood pressure, I started having heart and kidney problems. I could not eat or sleep. My personality changed. I changed. Last July I quit taking all their medicines and started smoking pot again. I have not felt this good in years. All those other problems disappeared. No more high blood, no more heart or kidney problems, and as my husband now tells people-"I have my wife back", I have my personality back. I'm in less pain than at any other time since my surgery. I would gladly pay taxes on pot instead of my tax money going to pay our so called law enforcement, who hunts the pot, takes your money and your freedom if you are caught and then turns around and sells the pot themselves.