In response to the part about increasing use if marijuana was legalized..well honestly I smoke more pot now than I have ever smoked in my life AND IT IS ILLEGAL. The only benefits I would gain from marijuana legalization is I would be able to smoke without fear of going to jail and I could get a better job because I wouldn't have to worry about passing a drug test. My use wouldn't increase at all because I don't think its possible to smoke more pot than I currently do.

The only reason marijuana is a stepping stone to other drugs is because it is illegal. Thats it. Especially in the states where Marijuana is a schedule 1 drug along with Cocaine.  If someone illegaly tries Marijuana then they are far more likely to think, why not try Cocaine - according to the government they are very similar.  If you could legally buy Marijuana you would be far less likely to try other harder drugs.

Pot is concidered a stepping stone but I dont believe it. My first drug to try was alcohol, then it progressed from there. I think alcohol is the real gateway drug, people just try to blame pot since it is illegal currently. I think alcohol is more widely used than marijuana, easy to obtain, and I personally believe alcohol is most peoples first drug to use, legally or illegally and weither they continued use or not. If we want to get even more in debth about this, tabacco is also a drug, and to a minor it becomes an illegal drug.  I see kids walking the streets smoking cigarettes all the time. So that means they must have smoked pot first before they used tobacco or alcohol? No. I dont think it is necissary to point blame at marijuana as the gateway to other drugs. To me, it just doesnt make sence.

I can tell that the DEA officail is way old school. Give us a break, if legalizing weed wouldnt cripple the Mexican Cartels then what do you call taking away 2/3 of the income?

To say someone who uses marijuana is going to go to a harder drug is dumb.

Talking to people in POLITICS who are assosiated with the BUSH amdministration is like talking to a little child. They are ignorant an one sided.

You know what people like that DEA agent is whats wrong with AMERICA as a whole. Those people make me sick. I'm only goning to say that I will not stop smoking marijuana. It will be leagal an I will win this war over drugs.

The Mexican Cartel must have some close friends in/ around the White House because the poeple who are suppose to stop the money from ending up in those evil peoples pockets seem to be clogging America with an idealistic that Mexican Cartels need the money more.

This make me so mad.

BUSH ADMINISTARTION was a complete FAIL in every aspect. How can they think that we dont know a beer/ cigarettes is more dangerouse then a joint. This is unreal if someone were to give me a bag of marijuana i would go smoke it infront of the police station right now. Just to add the the statistics that are already mind boggling.

Instead of catching a person who smokes marijuana go get the person who stole my girlfriends car 2 times, or the person who put a gun to the head of my friend an robbed him while he was waiting to pick up marijuana or go get the marijuana I am owed by these dealers who rip me off repeatedly.

We are being pushed over the edge.
We marijuana smokers are nice people.
We are tired of being treated unfair.
We want what we pay for in a safe manner an the government could help us at the same time it helps it self with the taxes that are applied
We Americans Want Change.

If the government can just put this issuse at a standstill then they arent working for the PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE they are instead seen as a CARTEL themselves.

Obama I thought you really had your mind right but it appears its just another case of lieing to get what you want. Obama want to laugh an make a joke out of this issue. Unreal out of this world, stop acting like your for change when you seen to be just a smarter politician an new generation of people who use slick talk as a mean to fool people for votes.

If marijuana isnt legal within a year I'm done I wont be a positive contributing citizen why would I when it appear that sure I'm free to wonder around an I'm not in jail but we are still in prision to a government who is too old to know whats going on in the world.

Really I turn the news on an nothing even applies to anybody except the government, who cares about 1/2 the garbage they are talking CNN NBC MSN.

Do something, make a differnance in my life. Help me out for once, who am I just an average person who uses marijjuana on a regular basis an would like to know that the stuff I smoke is not laced with coke or crack or heroin. Help us save money by makeing an OZ. 50.00.

I can amagine it now, people are more kind to officers because no pety arrest/ harrassment. More money for all americans because right now we pay upwards of 250.00 for an OZ. of marijuana, that money would then be used for multiple other things that I'm 100% sure would stimulate out economy an society.

Thank you to those that care to read my feeling an thoughts.
Let freedom ring an lets Legalize marijuana an regulate it an stop the criminals from living great wealthy life an allow the common person to enjoy an fuller an richer life!

THANK YOU AGAIN

Michael Edward Crawford Jr.