Former Seattle Police Chief Calls for Legalization of Marijuana and All Drugs

I listened to Norm Stamper and believe he is right about the war on drugs. It's really an internal war on the rights of the american citizens being waged by those who are in power to due so. Whatever their hidden agendas might be whether pharmacy power brokers or those goon squads erected during the Bush administration. There are currently millions of americans who not only want but need medical marijuana and not those opiate drugs being peddled by the government backed industries. I am such a person and I don't feel that I am a criminal nor should I be treated like one.

Thank you

A guy named Norm goes from police cheif to NORML board member....poetic`irony!

ps: if you never heard of LEAP ..check them out, myspace them etc

Legalization of all drugs isn't the answer. Heroin, cocaine and meth have no positive effects on our communities.

i am open for an effort, always.

I'd like to see protests formed around the country in the wake of Obama's shuffling off the interest in the legalization of marijuana.

long stinky parades

I say start with legalization of cannabis and rehab for other truly "hard" drug users, jail for production or trafficking. We shouldn't be locking people up just for using a substance.... or being used by a substance in some cases. They need education and help, not jail and a criminal record.

We need to first get cannabis normalized (and hemp utilized), meanwhile we can start to deal with the real problems of harder drugs.

Personally I don't think the government has any business telling us what we can or can't put in our bodies. Regulations yes, war on drugs, no.

I just had a GREAT idea! Someone needs to make a new Hemp For Victory clip using modern hemp products made with modern technology etc. I mean if their 1942 documentary was effective, why not a 2009 edition?

I can't honestly say I favor legalization of all drugs. Legalization of drugs, which people can become addicted to and cannot afford is not the answer.

I do agree prison is not the answer. The 'war on drugs' is not the answer. But, I don't think complete legalization is the answer either. Somewhere there has to be a middle ground.

Families have enough problems. Legalization before education would not be prudent. The war on drugs has misled many ordinary Americans. They have spun them all as equal. They are not. People should learn the truth about all drugs. Cannabis hemp is one thing, heroin and crack is another. The differences are astounding. I would not want to add the burden of drug education to the families. Not after the spin, we have been spun by the current war on drugs.

It is time for the conversation to begin and the war on drugs to wind down. Education, not prison is the answer, but it has to start with information and facts. I don't want to create more problems than can be solved by blanket legalization. I have grandchildren who are rapidly reaching teens. I don’t want them to think all drugs are equal. It gives the wrong message. Two wrongs won’t make a right.

Norm Stamper is one voice. I want to hear the conversation amongst the many, to enable the change we need.

His point is that we need regulation, not prohibition. I totally agree.