I'll give it my two cents...

I don't think pot is a horrible or super dangerous drug (like some other kind of drug), but it still does impair judgment and reaction time. This can cause any number of problems such as DUI caused deaths or being unable to keep a job. I'm not saying that all people who smoke mary jay has these problems, but I'm sure some are more susceptible than others. Like someone said, "results may vary". It also has tons of poisons in them which will cause health problems later down the road. Now I will make an assertion that if you don't agree with than my whole basis is invalidated.

Most people are generally law abiding.

If you legalize another substance that is known to impair judgement and cause health problems then the number of people doing it and doing it openly will increase. I think the fact that it's illegal keeps those who do it now from being as irresponsible with it as they possibly could if it wasn't illegal.

Why would you want another vice that has a lot of negative effects to become more widespread? I refute that mj is as pervasive as some people believe. I think a certain amount experiment with it (I myself have) but then move on. I realize we do have other drugs that cause problems as well (eg alcohol, cigarettes). We did try to get rid of alcohol in the past but it was already ingrained too much in our society thereby making it virtually impossible to stop it. It's much harder to take away a right or privilege that someone has had instead of keeping one away that never was (at least for a few generations).

Now lets look at some negatives from the legal ones. Alcohol: Can kill you if you drink too much at one time or over time. Has been the direct cause of many innocents being killed in car accidents. Has caused many family break ups and abuse etc. Cigarettes: is linked to many diseases and lung cancer. Has been linked to causing these problems to nonsmokers via 2nd hand smoke. Causes a huge drain on our medical system and increases health insurance costs for everyone else to with long, expensive, and repeated treatments.

I will admit that alcohol, imo, is more damaging than mj is. I mean, I drink on occasion, if your child is killed by a drunk driver would you really give a damn about that person's right to drink? Or, if you were the cause of someone else's death as a drunk driver. Could a conscionable person go back to drinking again? I don't think the act of using it is evil or bad in itself, but just the possible results.

So I am for keeping it illegal based on the premise that it keeps consumption lower than what it could be. This is my case.

P.S. If I could change the legality and stigma of mj and alcohol I would wave a magic wand and do it.