In a way it is a bit sad, really - Iphigenie

another interesting way to look at this also might be that there are an awful lot of people on digg and reddit who like getting high. - Thomas Hawk

I can only see the upside. This has gone on for far too long for the silliest of reasons. - coldbrew

perhaps, but is it really the most important thing the president can do to improve the country? - Iphigenie

Though I agree that decriminalizing marijuana is something that should be done it is very sad that people believe it is the most important thing Obama could do to improve the country. The priorities of people sometimes frighten me. - Sidney

I wouldn't imagine Obama is only capable of doing one thing at a time. I realize there are more important things to be done, but many of those will take quite a bit of work (healthcare, economy, etc). Anything that increases freedom is worthy in my book. It could also be a significant source of tax revenue, which could help the economy as well. - coldbrew

I think the people who dismiss this as unimportant have no grasp of the scale and scope at which drug prohibition destroys lives. - Anthony Citrano

While I can't speak for Digg and Reddit on the whole, I've personally never smoked a joint in my life and have no plans to, yet I'm a staunch advocate of ending the war on drugs and ending marijuana prohibition in particular. Supporting legalization has nothing to do with getting high, and everything to do with logic and facts. - Eric P

+10 Can I go higher than that. Not get higher. lol - Michael Fidler

One way to look at it is that the prohibition causes the price of drugs to skyrocket, so that drug lords get obscenely rich. With that money, they buy arms, with which they commit mass murder, like in Mexico currently. Legalizing it would make the market collapse and dry up their funding. - Victor Ganata

There are so many arguments for the removal of marijuana prohibition laws. Not the least of which, that would certainly signal to me that Obama is for change; just having him behind it would demonstrate a no-bullshit approach. What exactly are your arguments for retaining said laws, McCord? - coldbrew

Paul, imagine yourself being thrown in prison for any length of time because you were caught smoking a joint or possessing marijuana. What would it do to your life? - JCunwired

Not exactly, Christopher. Marijuana is a federally restricted substance, which is why people who have legal medicinal marijuana in, say, California can still be busted by the DEA for drug possession. - FFing Enigma

Given the large number of people behind this initiative, i believe it is your argument that needs substantiation. Rather than asking others to substantiate their claims, I would argue you need to make a claim, or multiple, and back it/ them up. - coldbrew

I don't think many people are for legalizing all substances. Marijuana is one thing but harder drugs are another. The number of drug dealers that Victor says "get obscenely rich" may dwindle but they will certainly still be there. @coldbrew: I disagree that it is the anti-drug legalization community that needs to substantiate it's claims, considering that the laws are written by the majority and if the majority wanted legalization then lawmakers who supported that should be elected, that's the idea. - Brandon Titus

Paul: one million Americans will be arrested this year for nonviolent marijuana possession. The convicted will carry a permanent criminal record (and will forever be convicted felons in some states - good luck with that job search). Many will serve prison time (the urban black ones will, anyway) and be eternally barred from receiving any type of federal student financial aid. Sorry, Paul, but if that's not likely to blow a kid's socioeconomic lights out, please tell me what is. - Anthony Citrano

Canada is on its gradual journey towards legalisation of marijuana,from what I've read about their Mounties not treating possession as a criminal act, thereby freeing up resources to deter and prosecute real criminals. Alcohol and tobacco are, in my opinion, far more dangerous in terms of the harm they cause, even though they are legal and heavily taxed in most countries.Too many people are getting their lives messed up by the legal system in the USA, just for using their relaxant of choice. Live & let live - Siddharth Deb

The fact it was only ever made illegal because of america trying to make more money (got greedy) through the cotton trade...they forced other places to make it law, we in britian were the most reluctant to do it...yet we did...stupid move. The fact it has PROVEN medical benefits is also a big thing. - Rob Sellen :o)

Why did cotton have to win out? greed.....?? - Rob Sellen :o)

It's funny that an issue like this got pushed to the top of the list of priorities for Obama to address upon coming in to office. A poster above (Sidney) commented that this is sad as there are so many other problems to address. Agreed. Probably many of the supporters of this initiative don't have their minds on the big issues but just want another way to get intoxicated legally. I'm actually in favor of decriminalizing the substance but this issue is way, way down on the list of priorities I have for Obama - Gale Stafford

Why are we pretending that the president can only pursue one thing at a time? Obviously, the economy and the wars are front-and-center right now. It still does seem that people don't make the connection between the "War on Drugs" and institutionalized racism in this country. Maybe as a person-of-color, I'm biased, but the fact that the prisons disproportionately harbor first-time drug offenders with brown or black skin does seem to be a problem on par with the health care crisis to me. - Victor Ganata

I think this proves that the internet is not ready for prime-time democracy. First, we need to remember that the numbers here are a very small and skewed portion of the total American population. Second, there is no control here to prevent people from posting the same thing more than once, or has been pointed out, the effects of a site like Digg. While this makes a really great headline, I think the more important thing for government to remember about the change.gov site is to consider the source. - Kenton

Exactly, Victor, what I was trying to say to Paul (just above ya.) I'm not saying it ought to be the top priority, or the only one, but we're witnessing a fucking genocide here (marijuana, crack, etc.), and no one seems to care. It's constantly dismissed us just those damn stoners who want to get high.... - Anthony Citrano

Now that I think about it, "The War on Drugs" and health care are actually pretty interlinked, too. We really ought to be treating non-violent addicts as patients and not as criminals. It doesn't help that poor minorities basically have no access to mental health care. - Victor Ganata