First when you had paul on your show last night he is not a Pot Pusher, he is a Pot Reform pusher if anything. You failed to mention that he hasnt sold a single gram of marijuana and gives out hundreds of pounds a year to sick and dying medical card holders, keeping them from seeking their meds from criminals and the streets!

Paul is a good man and your portrayal of him as a "pot Pusher" Was wrong! You should first take that statement and lable back and give the true statment that he is an acivist seeking reform to the failed drug policys! He helps so many people that he is a saint not a Pot Pusher" as you put it! Paul is doing what needs to be done to stop the Cartels and gangs from runnign the Marijuana trade!

Cartels and gangs will just keep growing larger and larger, the policies of this country is making them rich and they will not stop till we take the control back and regulate marijuana so the cartels have no profit! By regulating we can reduce the parice to the point where it wont be worth any criminal to feelthe need to sell it! Just liekl Alcohol in the 30s, have we forgotten the 30s have we forgotten the Mob and how prohibition created and keep the Mob rich and in turn created violence and guns and death!

Wake Up America, this will not go away, its only going to get worse! They want the Cartels and Gangs, but they get American citizens for somoking it! How is this helping, how is locking up 2million pot smoking Americans going to stop the cartels or gangs? It wont! Wake Up!

Wake up,, you make a good point and this is why things arent going to change any time soon even the media wont give cannabis a fair shake!

Happy TGIF Penny and AC

The Iranian strife is apinful to watch it's never going to end there with this President still in power i pray for the country to have peace soon .

The interview with Angelina was inspiriing and i sometimes wonder if celebs are using thier star power for their own gain but i think she really cares about thier pllight and she is rasing awarness .

Thanks for the buzz

Michelle D.

The Iranian election is not America's business,period! Stop meddling America,and stay at home where you belong? President Obama is going to solitify his base with cow-towing the Hispanic vote,and put into place a "Health Care Overhaul Program" that certainly will include funding for the "Fifteen Million Plus" illegal aliens now living in our country. I hope the Radio/TV Corresponent Dinner gives the President some laughs,and a little break from the awesome scheduling agenda ,he's been on(one person can only do so much,in a given time frame) and has a great time. Pot shouldn't even be discussed anymore,it mirrors "Prohibition in the 20's" which was such a failure. There are alot of things about our personal priviledges in this country today that are really starting to bother me ,regarding the right to have a firearm,the right to eat what I want,the right to smoke,and drink what I want,,and the right to voice my opinion without the government having the legal right to listen in,via internet/phone/mail,...! Finally, thank goodness for people like Angelina Jolie, that take up a cause for the "World's Refugee's" poor,and abandoned. Bravo CNN,and Aderson

Last night was ridiculous about these houses that grow. It was the same as the forest where it's grown.

You just fed the negative naysayers so much to run with.

The reason it's grown in the forest AND the house is b/c it's illegal in the first place. There would be no guns if there wasn't an underground blackmarket and a huge demand.

The DEA was soooooo impressive. You really showed those sinners by killing plants and not going after the cocaine dealers down the street.

I can't believe y'all reported that.

So far the only thing that has really been relevant is the Melissa Etheridge part.

insurence companys, medicade or medacare are never going to pay for medical pot.. as soon as it is regulated the profit margin is gone .........Tax IT Regulate IT Set Age Limets To IT problem solved

Obama's health care charity hospital ever been ther waiting for hours and then nothing???????

Man did the DEA show them! It was like Elliott Ness flying in there to stop the bootlegging! Awwweeessome. Oh wait, I just realized that they mentioned that they could run those raids all day every day. Wait again, doesn't this mean that our policies are CLEARLY FAILING. I like how Drew Griffin glorified their job yesterday, acknowledged that the policy wasn't working, and failed to offer any alternative. GREAT REPORTING DREW, you should be promoted for your mindless garbage. That report was whatever is the opposite of though-provoking, just like this series which unfortunately treats the prohibitionist agenda as if it were based on fundamental truths, rather than outright lies and propoganda (i,e, reefer madness that has been thoroughly debunked). CNN doesn't welcome people on the show that disagree that the world is round right?

We the people have the rights to look at Acorn's books because of them getting our money and they are polical why are they getting tax dollars I have attended they're housing program an all they did was talk polical talk

I cannot (and yet can) believe Iran's Supreme Leader is ok with this election result. And we're evil "Zionists" who are causing their problems. Hello. Your people on the streets protesting are telling you quite clearly what they want. Is it better than what's there? Not sure. But the will of the people seems to be speaking and those evil "Zionists" are the only ones apparently listening.

One thing I haven't noticed on the marijuana special and thought about this morning. Would legalizing this for medical purposes reduce the stigma for people who don't want to take marijuana? My mom was in horrific pain from diabetic neuropathy and couldn't eat and digest at times due to gastroparesis. Her docs suggested marijuana as a way to deal with it. She refused because she didn't want to be associated with pot. It was totally beneath her morals and beliefs about right and wrong. Had it been legal and had she been able to get it from legal means, I think her life may have been a bit more comfortable and alert than using the meds she was on (especially towards the end). Just a thought. Good work, though, presenting all sides this week.

I guess I miss interpreted the whole idea you had Mr. Cooper when you were going to discuss the pros and cons on the subject of Marijuana legalization. As I suspected there is no independent news agency that is actually willing to produce a production show where the truth is told. As I stand by and watch the program which was widely advertised to be a non bias approach on this very simple subject. I was not surprised that the media could not produce such a show. As I suspected you were looking for ratings and you knew the topic of marijuana would get the viewers watching. I was not alive in the 30's but as you have proved to my eyes that your show and all other american programs are strictly bias on the subject that marijuana should remain illegal. All your programs are showing the bad and the ugly you are not showing the good that can come from this natural herb that was put here for human consumption. Why don't you just admit the reason they will not legalize it is because you can't regulate it. Marijuana a simple weed that can be grown in any location. While you are at it you could also admit that your superiors are also making sure that the points you make are points that lean more towards keeping it illegal than producing the truth about the positive effects of natural herb. Legal or not I will always be a pot smoker. I make over 6 figures a year and yet I have been labeled a looser by one or your bias supporters. LOL I thought I was supposed to a lazy good for nothing couch potato that you portray on your show. I guess I didn't read those rules when I started smoking pot in the late 70's. At no point in my life of 30 years of smoking have I never felt addicted, lazy or a no good person. I have been able to quit smoking pot easily for periods of months on end. Yet I never felt like I had to have it or I would die like cigarettes me feel. When I try to quit smoking cigarettes I feel like the world is crushing down on me. My temper is very short and I get headaches constantly. I am not a happy person when trying to quit cigarettes. But with marijuana it is no big deal. There is no craving, drive or feeling that I have to have it 24/7 like cigarettes. If I run out of cigarettes I have to have another pack soon so I know it is available. With pot I can wait 6 months for a new batch. I don't have to have it all the time. So Mr. Anderson I suspect you report to your superiors about the production of your show. I would hope that you might stand up for your own reputation and let your superiors know that next time you attempt approach this subject you will demand a non bias approach. Till good luck.

If you guys go to the NORML.com website,,there is a link to passing a bill that was just introduced by Ron Paul and Barney Frank to make personal amounts of cannabis legal,,so go there and send then a letter its easy to do and it will help the cause!

Many Americans grow pot.
You make it seem like it only comes from other countries.

You keep forgetting the one point you should be making-
What is wrong with Marijuana?
-the only problems you address stem from the law against it.

If it was legal, users would just grow there own. No more mexi-cartels or Canadian gangs. No more growing in forests.

What is wrong with Marijuana? Why is it illegal?

JUST LEGALIZE IT! AND END ALL THE MADNESS.

I completely agree with the above poster 'Travis.' This is almost a one-sided debate that you are putting out. Why havn't you mentioned any of the industrial uses for marijuana? We could completely move away from crude oil by using hemp seed oil. It is much more cost efficient than crude, can be used to make plastics that are ten times as hard as steel (thank you Henry Ford for that innovation), could almost put an end to our de-forrestation if cultivated for paper products, and is an excellent source of cheap fiber for clothing and other related materials. As Dr. Gupta said on your show the other night, it does have medical benefits, but the money that our country could make from industrial applications is what you/we should be pushing. Imagine, pot ending the energy crisis. Pot bringing in billions of dollars a year from oil production alone! This simple little weed could actually bring our country out of this recession quickly! Wake up Anderson! Respectfully yours, M.W.

I'm curious what the response from the ceo of pfizer or any one of the tobbacco or alcohol companys would be to being called a "pusher" as they are the biggest drug dealers. Thanks for the "unbiased" report.

How typical... The Supreme leader blames the west. What everyone has seen today is the difference between a man of peace and a man of conflict. A man of peace does not point fingers.

i would like to know why in poll after poll americans say they want marijuana to be legalized but our politicians arn't listening i thought the government was for the people yet when the people speak it falls on deaf ears we are supposed to be the land of the free yet you always have someone telling you what you can and can't do in the privacy of your own home marijuana is a personal choice and should not be controled by someone else it is your life not theirs and what gives them the right to choose what you can do i do smoke and i enjoy it thanks anderson for keeping them honest

Well said Mr. Strange.....

Pot is grown in secret places. Wow. We had no idea.

Anderson, do you read any of the positives about legalization from these blogs? How about reporting on some of the positive pro legalization points instead of feeding the reefer madness.

I've got nice neighbors and family that knows nothing about pot. They have no friends or any interaction with it. And they are great people.

However, b/c of society's demonization of pot if it came to a vote, they would say keep it illegal just b/c society says it;s bad.

They are good people and just are not associated with it. (Even though they will go to bars and drink this weekend.)

My point is that your features on pot growing in forest and homes feeds the negative image of people that know nothing about it. Of course non smokers who know nothing about pot will be shocked and have a negative image or pot.

They won't be able to see that it's the LAW THAT CREATES THE POT BEING GROWN UNDERGROUND ON THE BLACK MARKET.

Coop, you're way too smart for this. If CNN is non biased, read the majority of the positive blog comments for legalization and RESEACH WHY MILLIONS WANT IT LEGAL.

Bad publicity is better than no publicity, but Coop, what was the point of showing pot being grown in forest and houses??? Where were you going with that?

Here is a funny one. The FDA approves a drug that caused people to loose their smell. Shouldn't the FDA have known that would happen before its delivery into the consumers market. Yet there is no negative scientific study that shows any harmful effects from consuming THC or Marijuana. People, this whole issues is about money. There is no possible way for them to make money off MJ if they can't make money they will take it from you through Taxes. As you can now see that if you don't invest, spend or throw your money around enough, the economy goes to poop and the government will spend their money to keep the economy whole and tax you for it. So all in all your money will be spent if you like it or not.

i also wanted to say i do take marinol with a doctors aproval but the cost of it is ridiculous if i didnt have great insurance there would be no way i could afford it pot is cheap in comparison please cover that thanks

You showed the wrong side of the track with the pot report.
I know at least 30 middle age men and women that hold good jobs, have families, voulenteer, drive safely, grocery shop, craft, laugh, vote, go to church, pay taxes, coach T-ball, ball room dance, are nurses, mechanics, cubical workers, chefs, sell cars, drive trucks, work retail...what do they all have in common? They smoke pot DAILY. Some of these folks I have known for years and years, some I have only known a short time too...but the fact remains. Pot is not evil, not exactly underground and even though most of these boomers would rather it not be made public that THEY smoke weed daily, amongst ourselves and those like minded, we will remain pot smokers. No we are not in California or Oregon...North & South Carolina to be exact. Some of these regular folks are Republicans too. We are regular Americans who have regular lives and SMOKE POT DAILY. This is the reporting you are missing the boat on, Anderson. The Drug cartels are old news. Regular American pot activity is what you should have reported on. Not hippies or Californians..... You had your chance to show just how NORMAL pot smoking is among Baby Boomers across the nation, instead you took the predictable road that will never generate any serious legalization reforms because it is the same old song and dance. You had your chance to do some real serious reporting, but instead you stayed safe and predictable. It was just a new twist on an old song. I had higher hopes for your reporting on this subject, AC360.

Horrible segment. You mention that you were going to be non biased during these "Following the Pot Trail". Quite the contrary, you actually used facts that arent facts, lied to the general public about the effects, and used very biased opinions from people that have no medical knowledge. Why don't you ask a real scientist, not one that you have paid off to lie. Marijuana is not harmful to the user, or to anyone else, so why are you so against it?

Mr. Strange: It's illegal because of the huge industries which are set up for eradication and usage. Private prisons, bodies to stuff them with, countless law enforcement agencies, pharmaceutical companies, Big Alcohol and Tobacco, etc. In other words, because the bankers and big business want it that way. If it's legal, there no profit either way. That also easily explains the mass media's obvious propagandizing.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thank you for sharing your views on medical marijuana. You were honest and stuck to the facts that were relevant to your professional credits. Many people seem to get their personal belief mixed up with fact and are uneasy when it comes time to justify. Thank you for going out on that honest limb. Good job Doctor!
MM, PE

Why aren't you interviewing Dr. Donald Tashkin, the head of pulmonary function at the Geffen UCLA medical center? He has the most up to date info regarding the effects of smoking cannabis on the lungs. How about interviewing that former judge from Orange County, James Gray. Or the former DEA and narcotics officers from LEAP(Law enforcement against Prohibition). How about interviewing officials from Holland and Portugal, where the research shows the very positive benefits of legalization. Didn't the CA Governator say on TV that we should study what other countries have tried regarding legalization? Where the heck is some decent investigative reporting. I'm completely disappointed in your "fluff" piece supposedly showing both sides. No new ground was covered, just a cursory rehash of stuff that's been out there for a long time. The story about cartels growing in the woods is old news, so is the flying around with DEA agents tearing up plants. Been done to death and you promote it as some kind of grounbreaking journalism. What a joke. Walking around the dispensary showing soda and ice cream. Big deal. There have been countless news stories of what's sold in the dispensaries. Big yawn...... WE WANT REAL PERTINENT INFO!!!!....NOT FLUFF PIECES?

Where have you been, Ray? The government doesn't care about "we the people" anymore. Remember the 'bailout'? How obvious does it have to get? This government has been owned by banks and big business for a long time. They scratch each others' backs. They don't care about the public. Wake up please.

Why don't they make working 6 days a week and any hours over 50hrs of forced labor illegal. This work habit negatively impacts family and health directly. To many jobs are going the way of contracting which i have found out is a forced 6 day work week with unlimited hours. You only get paid for what you do and you do not get to choose your work. So you could work 80 hrs a week and only make 300.00 dollars. Where is another employee working for the same company could work only 46.00 hrs and make 1500.00. The company you work for dictates where you work and the demo graph dictates your income no matter how hard you work. If you are not a favorite of your superiors then you will not make much money.

GO TO NORML.COM

Ron Paul and Barney Frank just a couple of days ago introduced new legislation to make marijunana in personal amounts legal PLEASE go to NORML and you can tell our congressmen that you want this bill passed its very easy to do the letter is already written all you have to do is put in your info!!

Its time to Legalize!!!

the F.D.A. aproves drug after drug with all kinds of side effects yet that is ok to the politicians pot is natural and it dosn't have 10 different side affects that can cause any number of problems yet we focus on it as something terrible why is that

Hi Anderson,

The powers that be fear Marijuana but if it is controlled as for example Percocet or other pharmaceuticals are, there is no need to fear! The fact is that it works for patients that need it. I have seen nausea disappear with one toke of a joint. It's instant relief, how can we deny that to our own people that suffer daily nausea from cancer, chronic pain and MS? How can some states allow relief and others allow suffering? Marijuana in it's inhaled form is now acceptable as opposed to smoking it. It should be part of the "Controlled Substance Act" and the states that don't allow it should ask themselves if at the point of illness and a feeling of wanting to die, they would not seek what ever remedy would make that feeling go away fast? A pill nor a capsule works fast enough for nausea, it usually follows vomiting. Marijuana stops the vomiting instantly, why do we torture our people in this way? This is a free country, we should be free to try!

Well CNN and A.Cooper I hope you guys can stand back and say we did a good,honest segment on cannabis that would actually benefit Americans but, NOOOOOO I guess it just goes to show how much honesty there isnt in reporting!

All I can say is pro cannabis Americans we have to support all groups who can bring a little justice and freedom to America cause its not gonna happen with the MEDIA they are a bunch of chicken chits!!

NORML
MPP Marijuana Policy Project
L.E.A.P Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
Drug Policy Alliance Network

Please support these groups!!

Penny- Will Some one ask what it says in the Quoran about Lieing & Cheating & Remind the Ayatollah of it? I heard on CNN last night that in one place there were only a certain number of people yet the vote count was higher than the total population of that area.

I know there are more important issues than pot right now..... HOWEVER...

What was the point of showing houses that grow plants? What does that have to do with making it illegal or not?

Anderson, why don't you read why people do or do not want it legal and report on the reasons why?

No one cares that pot is being grown in houses except some person that knows nothing about pot. Then they may be surprised and even more scared of pot. Even though the maybe great folks that just dont know about it. Nothing wrong with that.

What;s wrong is the message CNN gave them.

I appreciate you having this on, and everyday we get closer to legalizeation, but the deal about the pot plants in the house was a scare tactic. It was not an argument to keep pot illegal. I dont think it had anything to do with keeping it illegal or not illegal.

It just showed the cost of the system we live in. Sad thing is lots of people won't see it that way.

They just wonder if that could be in their neighborhood. It's the law that creates such unfortunate crime and scenerios.

The story on grow houses was just more cheap sensationalism. I bet it was fun for Drew Griffin to ride along with the guys with guns.

Did you notice that everytime they talked to neighbors, they said they never noticed anything bad going on? What does that tell you?

Tonight, a piece on "Mexican cartels" and "Asian gangs". Be afraid, very afraid!

Why not REALLY show both sides? Where's the stories on regular Americans just smoking a joint while watching the ball game?

I can't believe you would call Paul a "pusher"! That is a slap in the face to him! Pot is harmless and actually has many medical benefits. We waist soooooooo much money trying to send people to jail for minor pot infractions that it is amazing to me we still do it! Legalize it and tax it...it will create jobs and tax revenue as well. If it were legal, we would free up our resources to combate many other things that are so much more important such as crack users, child molesters, rapist and the list could go on and on. To put pot smokers in the same realm as these other criminals is criminal in itself. I know many people who have smoked since the 60s and they are capable, smart, hardworking people who do no harm to anyone when they are sitting in their own home and smoking. In my personal opinion, drinking is much more harmful to the body and the spirit! REFORM NOW!

All employers have adopted the law that requires all potential employees to be screened for illegal drug use prior to being employed regardless of the job description. At this point, all of our american lives and futures are in threat. We are threatened by terrorists, we are threatened by communist countries, we are threatened by loss of jobs, we are threatened by more taxes, we are facing higher fuel costs and lowering incomes. US companies are now hiring illegals because of cheep labor and then the courts are supporting those illegals with the privileges of being a citizen with little or no consequences. As we all know the 4 needs of life are Shelter, Food, Water, and now electricity. I am actively searching ways to utilize family and friends to create a safe legal living environment that addresses those 4 needs with the least amount of cost. My goal is to not support the US government financially until they have chosen to support the american people instead of big banks, big oil, and big money. I am unemployed for the 3rd time due to layoffs from 3 different companies in less than 5 years. It is now becoming impossible to locate a job that has any benefits let alone any income or tenure. I am a believer that all those big companies are the reason why America is in the shape its in today. Yet our Government wants to steal the Americans money to save those bankrupt companies because they can, The say it will save jobs LOL who's job are they saving? Oh yea the leaders of those companies, why because they are the ones who have lined their pockets for so many years. They are also the same companies that have been supporting the laws that keep Marijuana illegal because they will not profit from its legalization. Now these same American companies that employ american people are moving their products over seas for lower labor costs. Yet they expect that the American people will still purchase their product. Let the American people speak stand up for what you believe in. Find alternate ways to live your life. Materialism will only bring you down not lift you up. Don't worry be happy spoke POT!

THANK YOU ANDERSON!!! I have been waiting over 40 years for someone to have the courage to address this issue. When I looked into the reasons why it was illegalized by in the 20's (30's?), I realized it was propaganda to control our African American population. I enjoyed living in Canada where you can go and buy pot for your medical needs at a corner store. Please don't tell me this policy has created a nation of crazed Canadian druggies. It hasn't. In fact, it's amazing how nearsighted so many people are about this plant. I know our jails are full of citizens who have been imprisoned for having pot, which is a big waste of my tax dollars. It is time for America to wake up and smell the weed!

I'm classified as a, "Texas Intractable Pain Treatment Act Patient." I've had at least 20-Doctors of every discipline work with me initially for over a year in trying to gain control of neck pain, head pain and Headaches. Different pains I'd suffered thru for many years. My Intractable Pain treatment started 14-yrs ago at the "Texas Headache Institute" in San Antonio, TX. I'm not complaining in any manner on how they treated me.

I've had three severe blows to the head/face – spending a week to a month each occurrence in the hospital. In addition, I've had at least two dozen surgeries performed above my shoulders after these accidents to try and repair bone and tissue damage. Including facet and nerve blocks given via a long ass needle in the back of my neck. My worst or most damaging accident was an Oil field accident, at age 24. Which was 25-yrs ago. When I had my right orbit crushed, forehead crushed and lost my right eye. I also, had a head-on motorcycle wreck at age 14. Which was when my "head-pain" and neck problems started. Not just headaches. But, constant head pain – there is a difference.

Before I went to the Texas Headache Institute. And, after trying to live and work with this ever increasing pain after the accidents. The pain increased as my nerves were growing back together and making new connections over the years. These new receptors were telling my brain how much my face, neck and head hurt in these different areas.

After a week of DHE-45 protocol in a S.A. Hospital. Which did not help my condition. My Doctors at the Texas Headache Institute. They started me on "Intractable Pain Meds." MS Contin and Oxycodone. MS-Contin, (Morphine), is used for Long-Term or as a long-acting pain killer. While the other is for Short Term. Or, what the Dr's call. "Break thru Pain." I was also given Hydrocodone and use Xanax.

The MS Contin script costs $970 a month and Oxycodone $240. That is Generic costs. Brand name drugs are 2x to 3x more.

With Only ONE or TWO puffs of high grade Marijuana. It relieves all of my pain and discomfort and relaxes the muscles in the neck. Those two puffs also "override"all the Pain Meds I'm taking. Another words, the pain meds are basically rendered useless. And, Are Not Felt. If I also smoke some pot.

I cannot get it here in Texas without putting myself at some risk to my safety and my status as a protected – "Intractable Pain Patient." When I can secure some – maybe once every six to eight months. Can only get a an 1/8th an ounce. Which is 7-grams. I've read some posts on here where some people say they smoke one gram a day.
I'm taking a great risk even with this miniscule amount in losing my "Intractable Pain Patient" status if caught. Meaning – according to my contract with my Dr. and the State of Texas. I would lose my right to have access to the long term pain meds I'm now prescribed for "Intractable pain."

I wish the State of Texas and the Federal Government would change their laws regarding the use of "Medical" Marijuana. And, Marijuana laws for small amounts in general. For people at least 18 to 21-yrs of age. Unless, it is for medical use.

Are ya'll aware that any Dr. can prescribe a drug called, "Marinol?" Which is made from cannabis?? Google - Marinol. My pain Dr. prescribed it one time. Cost the Insurance company $1,500 and had to get special permission to fill it One time. It is Not nearly as effective as Marijuana is though.

How many people die on our nation's roads each year via a Drunk Driver, 35,000 I think. There are 100's of thousands more who die of Alcohol and Tobacco related illnesses, costing Billions to treat. How many die from smoking herb? How many Overdoses occur on Marijuana?? None!!!.

I support decriminalizing one of Mother Nature's best and most effective Medicine's for many uses.

Exactly Phil, thats the thing that is upsetting they are not showing regular everyday people who are using(NOT abusing) cannabis for relaxation in their homes,,or sitting on the creek bank fishing or when hiking and enjoying nature,thats the things I like to do when using(NOT abusing) cannabis!!

When will cannabis users get a fair shake, we are easy people to get along with and are enjoyable to be around!

So why havn't you interviewed any legit doctors or scientists? this whole special was a joke! I bet if you brought Barney Frank on the author of the current cannabis decrim bill you wouldn't have called him a "pusher".

So were is the none biased part? you gave the guy from NORML like what, 2 mins if that? Why arn't you showing the scientific studies that have shown lower cases of lung cancer in pot smokers then cig smokers? You havn't had one legit scienctist or doctor on yet! lemme guess you can't find any that are willing to lie for you?

And who cares what Angelina joelee (however you spell it) has to say?

What was the point of the feature on pot houses?

WHY DON'T YOU SHOW THE CRIME CREATED IN SCHOOLS AND NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE POT IT ILLEGAL!?

WHY DON'T YOU SHOW SOME STATS ON THE DECREASE OF VIOLENCE AND CRIME IF POT WERE LEGAL!?

Why don't you show a world were kids won't be able to get it if it were regulated like alcohol?

Why don't you show what would happen to the drug cartels if it were legalized?

Why don't you show how placing pot in the same category as cocaine and crack IS WRONG!!!!!!!!??!! Both are not great for you, but it's a humans choice what they want to do.

Why don't you show that it is in the same categry as alcohol?

Geezzzzzzzzzzzz! Of course its grown in forest and homes? OMG, it's grown everywhere but no one knows where!!! Duh!!!!!!

The reason is b/c it's illegal and millions of people use it everyday.

How can you stop that Mr. DEA, Mr. CNN, Mr. Anderson?

"Where’s the stories on regular Americans just smoking a joint while watching the ball game?" Phil Lawrence

That is funny......

Anderson, where is the story on the casual responsible tax payer that prefers pot than drinking martinis or jack and coke?

Talked to my family in Iran. She said " no one is going to come out after what khamenei said unless they have a death wish. everyone has lost their trust and faith in Obama for not supporting them.

i would like to see a full one hour special with the big lagitimate groups like normal,leap,dea,ron paul,barney frank and lets have a real debate not just 10 minuts where you can only get bits and pieces of information and then lets take it to the american people so they can make an educated choice anderson i think you could be the one to tell the real story and lets not just make the discusion just about california thanks

I believe that we can solve a lot of problems with the decriminalization of pot. First allow anyone 25 and up to have up to an Oz. 21 to 24 can pay for a pot card allowing 10 grams on and individual. Charge for permits to own larger quantities and permits to grow. The more you intend to grow the higher the cost. Anyone breaking the laws get fined .
Then set up grants to help corporations get started in growing and selling. The business revenues will be taxed. You can specifies were the money will go. For example if you use money to go to border protection and combating hard drugs. You will make it harder for marijuana to be smuggled in. plus the smugglers will be losing costumers to legal businesses.
Also put some of that money into information. Inform people about marijuana and teach them to use it responsibly. You can but money towards healthcare , defense ,education , starvation. The new businesses and new products introduced into the economy will stimulate it. There are so much we can use it for to help the world and get our debt under control. Pot is abused by so many people I say it’s time we used it for good . Its not the hole picture but I thank it’s a good ideal and good ideals is what we need.

GO TO NORML.COM

Ron Paul and Barney Frank just a couple of days ago introduced new legislation to make marijunana in personal amounts legal PLEASE go to NORML and you can tell our congressmen that you want this bill passed its very easy to do the letter is already written all you have to do is put in your info!!

We can only change things if we are willing to tell other people and explain our stance in a civil way,there is a momentum going now lets not let up tell everyone you know to talk to their senators and congressmen,and write the president,,I do!!

Be careful people the Government might declare that any person engaging in ill legal consumption or distribution of ill legal products could be deemed as a terroristic attach on the US Government and it citizens and could result in Terroristic charges brought against those that are supporting this. I would not put it past the Government. If there is a big enough uprising on what we believe in as our rights, not what they believe our rights should be! We are living a life that is no different than those in Iran. The only difference is that the Iranians will stand up and die for what they believe in regardless of the outcome. The American people don't want to get involved because they are afraid. Stand up and fight for what you believe in. I am impressed by the Iranians support of their people. Not that I like them but it is impressive. When was the last time you saw the American people support something with such vigor?

I too appreciate the media attention to this law that creates so much crime.

But it’s not balanced and unbiased.

The story about the house growing pot had nothing to do with the 2 sides for or against legalization.

All it’s going to do is scare people against it even more and create more bad stereotypes for people that don’t know anything about it.

Very disappointing, but the publcity is good. It was just aimed at people who nothing about it. As nice as they may be.

Im glad that Obama is NOT getting involved in IRAN its time us Americans worry about our own problems and to quit sticking or nose in everybody elses buisness,can when we do stick our nose in something America ends up killin hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians if you ask me Americans are the terrorist's!!!

This is what's wrong with this country right here. If our government thinks something is not beneficial to our citizens, we as the citizen do not get to decide. New Zogby polls released this year show that 52% of ALL Americans believe the sentence, "Marijuana should be legalized and regulated like tobacco or alcohol." Wait, let me get this straight, 52%? That's right, 52%. If it was anything else in the world, gay rights, health care reform, abortion, etc...Every future president to run would base his entire campaign on that single issue alone.
Since the government doesn't want us to use this benign substance, even though we the people think it is our right,(But lets not forget that tobacco and alcohol are ok!) they start leaning on the media. Then the media...ahem, Fox news, Cnn, seems to throw out the hundreds if not thousands of reports and studys showing the benefical uses of cannabis. Instead they find the bad storys. The scary stories. Stories like the one Drew's pushing. Where's the studys on these cigarettes that I've been addicted to since 14, or the alcohol thats killed my friends? If you want to demonize something, demonize this crap your FDA approves just to pull a year later because it's killed ten thousand people. You say cannabis has no medicinal value, yet you market a pill that's 100% THC?? I know I'm just ranting, and I'm no professional writer, but this is the way I look at it. If cannabis had never been found up to this point, and we sent scientist into the rainforest to find benefical plants. They stumble across cannabis for the first time. It would be hailed as a medical miracle!!

Way to look at it Kevin C. This is all B.S and all our elders over the age of 55 have been brain washed to believe that M.J. is evil. When we should have seen the truth since its conception and see that MONEY is the true evil in this world. If it were not for MONEY or INCOME, all our lives would not be in threat and our young women would not be targeted for prostitution. What would the world be like if you didn't have to have MONEY to survive?

Mr. Cooper I am very disappointed with your week long coverage of cannabis and it's prohibition. Why were you so afraid to have a proper discussion of the science of cannabis with those researchers who have studied it for years and you had no intelligent discussion on the politics of prohibition. There was not one mention of The Netherlands were adults have the right to purchase cannabis legally and why is it that Holland has the lowest adult and teen use of cannabis in the christian world. Legal means less usage. Is CNN controlled by the sicko's who push the "drugs you chug " to children all day long on tv. or by big Pharma who kill thousands every year. Anyone who wants information or an intelligent discussion go to cannabisculture.com

How many overdose deaths has there been from drugs the FDA has approved,,to many to count but not even one overdose death from cannnabis!!

That alone point should make it legal!!

1. I'm disappointed about how the "weeklong investigation" into the pros and cons of legalization of cannabis has been reduced to squeezing a 5 minute pre-recorded segment inbetween other stories. If you're going to advertise the debate, don't bait and switch us!

2. Both the National Park segment and the "homegrowing" one presented neither side. I'm pro-legalization, but I certainly don't want anyone, citizens or otherwise, growing it (or anything else) in our national parks. And homegrowers are everywhere...but how is that relevant?

3. Like others above me, I'm pretty disappointed in this whole series. Massachusetts has bills before our House and Senate to legalize small amounts for personal consumption, and my man Barney Franks has carried this message to the federal level. Yet where was the coverage of this? Where's the coverage of Canadian policy, or that of the Netherlands? Truth be told, when our nation's policies are compared to Canada's, it makes THEM look like the "land of the free". Sad, but true.

Well written, Kevin C. I am 63 years old and as I grew up I was afraid to try MJ because I believed I would be shooting heroin by the following week. My spouse, on the other hand, was also a child of the 60's and 70's and tried every drug known to man. He stopped using anything except MJ after a brief time and went on to be a VERY successful businessman as well as a wonderful human being. He has never become addicted and it in no way interferes with his life, except for it being illegal.

As I reached my late 50's and started having all the aches and pains that go along with aging, I broke down and tried MJ. What a miracle! I only take a couple of puffs in the evening before bed and the relief is instant and I can fall asleep and stay asleep. I still work full time, am active in my community, vote, pay taxes, have no debt....can't begin to tell you what a complete turn around I've had in my attitude since I finally learned what MJ really can do FOR someone, and what it does NOT do to someone.

And yes, there will always be people who abuse MJ, just as they abuse alcohol, food, legal drugs, etc. There is no way that this should be illegal!

...And another thing,

When you have about 500 comments on your website regarding the Marijuana issue, and there is about a 20:1 or greater ratio of comments being in SUPPORT of legalization, and you tailor your coverage to the 1 in 20, well, that doesn't strike me as a very intelligent move. This is not a conspiracy by NORML or MPP to get people to flood your website with comments. No, these comments are from your core audience and viewership.

Do you REALLY want to listen to us? You seem to since you are shoving Twitter down our throats in every segment, so when we speak, WHY DON'T YOU LISTEN?

Same old song and dance! I hadent even ever heard of anderson cooper before this story. I thought this report was going to be different but i was wrong.

I hate to sound like a broken record but come on. There is only one reason why those pepole grow in the forrest in califorina.

the thing is, legalization will happen at some point. i'm only 23, so it will happen in my lifetime. the question is what president will step up and sign that bill? i know there will always be those people who believe such propaganda from films such as "refer madness" from back in the early 20th centruy. as a user for about 8 years now, i have never left a baby in the tub with the water running, (probly because i dont have kids) i have never wanted/tried to kill myself or anyone else, i've never tried to set my car on fire, or any of the destructive things they show in the anti-weed promos today. as usual, americans panic very easily at certain things, and this has been such a touchy subject for so long, i dont understand why people try and stop the sale of marijuana. selling it in stores would reduce buyers exposure to other drugs. i was exposed to different drugs over the years, but never really got into anything other than pot. marijuana is a gateway drug because of the dealers. remove the need for a dealer, and you remove the drugs in that gateway.

fair and ballanced CNN?
Even when your own writers break cnns comment policy (You may not post any unlawful, threatening, DEFAMATORY, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. All comments should be relevant to the topic and

remain respectful of other authors and commenters.

You are solely responsible for your own comments, the consequences of posting those comments, and the consequences of any reliance by you on the comments of others.)

Is it not defamatory to call all marijuana users LOSERS?
CNN isnt very fair and ballanced

legilize & fire drew.

Lets face the facts, the reason marijuana is illegal is due to the tobacco, textile, paper, alcohol, and pharmaceutical drug lobbyists that are all lobbying against it because they will have to compete with the legal marijuana market and loose sales. There are so many more ways to use this plant than to just smoke it, I am shocked that CNN did not mention any of its other uses. It can be used to make rope, cloth, paper, seed oil, and many different types of building materials. The reason it was made illegal in the first place was due to lobbyists, false propaganda, and racist profiling because African Americans and Hispanics were using it. The legalization of pot would take the market and profit out of the hands of criminals and the drug cartel. The criminal drug dealers and drug cartel would like to see it stay illegal because they make billions of dollars on its illegal sale each year.

Ok.... It looks like the majority of Americans want "POT LEGAL". I thought that the USA was a "free" country? Whats the problem Obama??

So yesterday I recieved a txt message saying how if I call a certain number and press # that if 1 million people voted yes to legalize marijuana then that would prove that Americans really want this to happen and put a bill in front of President Obama with the proposal to legalize marijuana. I was wondering if there was any truth or validity to this?

Thanks

Ok.... It looks like the majority of Americans want "POT LEGAL". I thought that the USA was a "free" country? Whats the problem Obama??
BTW I love your blog!

Where is the regular guy that has kids and a wife and a job and pays taxes and just smokes some weed and mows the lawn...

Wishinig he was not at odds with the law.

Where's that guy in the debate?

The continued criminalization of cannabis has led to the arrest of over 20 million Americans since 1965, empowered and enriched criminal entrepreneurs, and alienated millions of otherwise law-abiding citizens while creating widespread disrespect for the rule of law among minorities and young people.

Paul Armentano

You can follow my pot trail. Seeds in dirt, sprouted in (small) grow room, HID, HPS, 3.4 months later, trail from my grow room to the curing room, curing room to the air tight jars, etc. It never leaves my house so where's the trail? There are thousands of "trails" just like mine. Most all of us don't sell what we grow.

I'm a medical cannabis patient. Why not have a show that goes into detail about something dangerous or scary instead of trying to perpetuate the prohibition of cannabis? I saw no "debate", it was one sided as usual. OOPS! I guess you have many big pharma sponsors. Ha! Money talks...

And what the hell was that about losers? Isn't Ted Turner a pot head?

paulievision brings up a very good point, why did't we hear from places like portugal (decrimanalized all drugs) result – lower usage rates, lower overall crime rates, the netherlands (leagal sort of) result total usage 50% less than north america, youth usage 13yrs to 18yrs 50% less. it would seem the report was more reefer madness just diguised as journalisim.

80 degrees latitude – 10 degrees longitude

I’ve been fairly disappointed with this whole series on pot. Like many others have already said in this blog, CNN is just covering the same old stories that have been done in the past (pot dispensaries in California, people growing pot in their houses and in the woods). CNN should approach lawmakers and law enforcement officials, confront them with the facts, and make them defend their position against the millions of pot smokers in this country, my guess is they won’t be able to.

Non-biased report on marijuana? Maybe one of these days!

What ever happened to reporters with a backbone?

its time to step it up its a grow for all see who comes out smelling like dank weed we can show you reefer madness mex pot 3% thc junk.
usa homegrow 26% thc we got the goods and the money.
haze craze and trainwreck coming to a house near you............

Although people may think that the Drug War targets drug smugglers
and 'King Pins,' in 2007, 47.4 percent of the 1,841,182 total arrests for
drug abuse violations were for marijuana - a total of 872,720. Of those,
775,137 people were arrested for marijuana possession alone.
By contrast in 2000 a total of 734,497 Americans were arrested for
marijuana offenses, of which 646,042 were for possession alone.

"Tetrahydrocannabinol is a very safe drug. Laboratory animals
(rats, mice, dogs, monkeys) can tolerate doses of up to 1,000 mg/kg
(milligrams per kilogram). This would be equivalent to a 70 kg person
swallowing 70 grams of the drug - about 5,000 times more than is
required to produce a high. Despite the widespread illicit use of cannabis
there are very few if any instances of people dying from an overdose."

"A review of the literature suggests that the majority of cannabis users,
who use the drug occasionally rather than on a daily basis, will not suffer
any lasting physical or mental harm."

The Christchurch Press reported on March 22, 2005, that
"The lead researcher in the Christchurch study, Professor David
Fergusson, said the role of cannabis in psychosis was not sufficient
on its own to guide legislation. 'The result suggests heavy use can
result in adverse side-effects,' he said. 'That can occur with
( heavy use of ) any substance. It can occur even with milk."

"Current marijuana use had a negative effect on global IQ score
only in subjects who smoked 5 or more joints per week. A negative
effect was not observed among subjects who had previously been
heavy users but were no longer using the substance. We conclude
that marijuana does not have a long-term negative impact on global
intelligence."

"Most 12th graders felt that they would be little affected personally by the
legalization of either the sale or the use of marijuana. Three fifths (60%)
of the respondents said that they would not use the drug even if it were
legal to buy and use, and another 17% indicated they would use it about
as often as they do now or less often. Only 6.1% said they would use it
more often than they do at present while another 8.9% thought they
would try it. (Eight percent said they did not know how their behavior
would be affected if marijuana were legalized.) Still, this amounts to
15% who state that their use would increase if marijuana were legalized."

"When compared to alcohol, cannabis is detected far less often in
accident-involved drivers."

The DEA's Administrative Law Judge, Francis Young concluded:
"In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we
commonly consume. For example, eating 10 raw potatoes can result
in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat
enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one
of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any
measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used."

The National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse concluded,
"A careful search of the literature and testimony of the nation's health
officials has not revealed a single human fatality in the United States
proven to have resulted solely from ingestion of marihuana. Experiments
with the drug in monkeys demonstrated that the dose required for
overdose death was enormous and for all practical purposes
unachievable by humans smoking marihuana. This is in marked
contrast to other substances in common use, most notably alcohol and
barbiturate sleeping pills."

The World Health Organization released a study in March 1998 that states:
"there are good reasons for saying that [the risks from cannabis] would
be unlikely to seriously [compare to] the public health risks of alcohol
and tobacco even if as many people used cannabis as now drink alcohol
or smoke tobacco."

The authors of a 1998 World Health Organization report comparing
marijuana, alcohol, nicotine and opiates quote the Institute of Medicine's
1982 report stating that there is no evidence that smoking marijuana
"exerts a permanently deleterious effect on the normal cardiovascular
system."

Australian researchers found that regions giving on-the-spot fines to marijuana
users rather than harsher criminal penalties did not cause marijuana use to increase.

"The present law on cannabis produces more harm than it prevents.
It is very expensive of the time and resources of the criminal justice
system and especially of the police. It inevitably bears more heavily
on young people in the streets of inner cities, who are also more likely
to be from minority ethnic communities, and as such is inimical to
police-community relations."

Regardless marijuana will still be around thousands
of years after us and will continue to be a problem as alcohol was in
prohibition till it is legalized and taxed like alcohol and tobacco is today.

Ron Paul took a strong stand in support of the Constitution and State Sovereignty – by stating that laws and regulations of Marijuana should be on a state level.

“If California wants to legalize it, let ‘em legalize it,” Paul told host Richard Greene on Air America’s “Hollywood CLOUT!” program.

He said that he believes that the U.S. Constitution gives the fifty states the right to legalize hemp production or marijuana. He said the issue was a matter of personal liberty but added that drug users should not be entitled to government-funded treatment if they abuse legalized drugs.

“If drugs are legal and people misuse them, then they do it at their own risk,” he said.

Bottom line, said Paul: “I do trust individuals to make their own decisions.”

wow i think they need more prisons and more cops hey why dont they just start a war right here in the usa on its on people wait i think they did .

yes i agreed that legalization and the decriminalizing of cannabis is your right of use and taxed could help this country in this hard times.please look at this Mr. president Barack Obama thank you all.I VOTE FOR YOU FOR A CHANCE

why dont you do a show on the poppy plants that grow wild all over the usa i hear dont they make pain killers with them i hear that the uk has a contract with the us goverment to grow tons of it i think pot would be better then heorin .

George Washington grew marijuana

“ … we shouldn’t allow rappers to glorify the wonders of living high.”

- Drew Griffin CNN/AC360 “Legalize Pot? Why not legalize being a loser?”

censor: verb – to take things thought to be objectionable

- Webster’s Dictionary

Think whatever you like about the topic, but a supposed journalist advocating censorship, in any form, is reprehensible

At best your coverage of was sensationalistic fluff. At worst it was ...well.... pick your favorite expletive.

$$$$$$ is the root of all of this.Unless the Gov makes some kind of $$ on this issue,it will never be resolved.I am dissappointed that CNN went from 2 great shows-monday and tuesday to more BS the following days,Even Dr.Gupta fell inches short of promotion.Its so very sad that our politions cannot listen to the will of the people.It has been a fiasco since the 60's and has gotten more assinine as time goes by.Its so silly its making me angry.So I guess I'll continue to have to take my scripted legal heroin(Oxycontin) and suffer the rest of my life.Its a sad time to be an American,in chronic pain with no hope.It is no wonder some folks end up doing stupid things.We have all lost hope that our country will listen to us and do the right thing.Its been so long since they have done the right thing,we wouldn't know how to act if they did..Come on Mr President,as Bill Maher said"Get of the TV and get something done".We all love you and are behind you however it is time to act...

why have you not put these comments on your program ?
I have not heard even one
afraid of the drug company backlash,?
They may not give you millions for the endless product placements on your show

pot is a plant that grows on the ground if God didnt want it it wouldnt be around

well i grow it in a pot

Families suffer because of ludicrous laws about a plant. Children have absent parents because they are arrested for possession of a plant. Our police are distracted from true crime because of chasing users of a plant. Murderer and rapists are set free early because prisons are clogged with people who smoke a plant. Legalization could save our economy and it is the right thing to do. Cannabis was placed on this planet for a reason. Legalize now.

Legalizing pot would fix the money problems in the US and stop the cartel from making money off illegal pot.

So much for unbiased. Way to keep the status quo with the marijuana report. It's unfortunate that organizations such as CNN have long since quit the journalism business and instead have tried to become our nannies.

Round and round in circles we go. Big business continues to manipulate us (the people) through fear and misinformation, lies and propoganda. They own Coop and CNN just like they own O'Reilly and FIX News. They buy advertising and we the people do not. Nothing new being reported here, just the same old same old. Been listening to it for the past 40 years and still have little hope for the future of balanced and fair reporting from any media source.

Fortunately, I know the truth about Cannabis and don't have to rely on Anderson Cooper and CNN for the facts. Been smoking it nearly every day for over forty years and will continue regardless of what my government or "society" has to say about it. I also lead a very productive life. More so than the drunks I see "legally" stumbling out of the bar across the street every night on their way home to abuse their family once again. Of course, Budweiser is big business and that makes it socially acceptable. Smoking my "bud" is only a harmless back-yard activity, but misinformation and fear campaigns created by the petro-chemical, alcohol and tobacco industries , and "pushed" on the public by CNN and it's co-horts keep it illegal. It all makes sense, just not GOOD sense.