Why is marijuana illegal in United States?

[MikeH]

It was because alcohol prohibition was so spectacularly successful. Made sense to prohibit more stuff and see the same benefits across all drugs.

[MrFun]

The only people I hear that from are my friends who are trying to justify driving down the interstate at 80mph because they have the munchies for taco bell.

[Elok]

Actually, alcohol consumption dropped considerably during prohibition. The price of (bootleg) booze went up, and there was a small but not negligible chance of getting arrested even though the Feds hardly bothered to enforce it. It's hard to say just how much drinking went on, but I've read figures claiming it dropped by about 50%. Given that, before prohibition, we tended to drink about as much as you Brits drink today, and afterwards our habits were closer to healthy, you could argue that prohibition was a partial success even though we repealed it.

EDIT: Whoop, looks like we were drinking as before by the Forties. Checked Wiki.

[MrFun]

We can thank prohibition for causing the dramatic rise of organized crime.

[MikeH]

Actually, alcohol consumption dropped considerably during prohibition. The price of (bootleg) booze went up, and there was a small but not negligible chance of getting arrested even though the Feds hardly bothered to enforce it. It's hard to say just how much drinking went on, but I've read figures claiming it dropped by about 50%. Given that, before prohibition, we tended to drink about as much as you Brits drink today, and afterwards our habits were closer to healthy, you could argue that prohibition was a partial success even though we repealed it.

Drinking rate went down 50% and the homicide rate went up 78%.

I'm not sure what point you are trying to make. I'm not saying prohibition doesn't reduce consumption. I'm saying you can't reduce consumption to 0 through prohibition and the cost of policing and the amount of money you drive to illegal distribution gangs, and the violence that goes with it, isn't worth it.

[MikeH]

Isn't worth it in the specific example of things that are extremely easy to grow and/or make.

Balance changes when it is something very difficult to make.

[MikeH]

That's not to mention that prohibition causes prices to rise which also leads to increased petty crime, burglary, mugging etc as people require increased finances to fund illegal purchasing.

You also increase crime rate and the amount of criminals in society just because more things are illegal. And we find that the vast majority of people convicted of crimes contribute less to society later - even if just because they find it harder to find legitimate work.

[Hauldren Collider]

It's true. I have a friend who insists that he drives better high because when he is he's paranoid about the fuzz. He tells us his high driving is a public service. None of us will ride in a car when he is driving anymore.

[MikeH]

One of my friends was stopped on the M40 to Birmingham when stoned. Speed limit is 70Mph.

Policeman said "Do you know how fast you were driving?"
"Oh no, sorry officer, was I speeding?"
"Thirty four miles an hour..."

[Felch]

34 in a 70 is a bit closer to the truth. When I drive high, I always have to make sure to go faster, since I often find myself going below the speed limit (a suspicious act if there ever was one).

[Hauldren Collider]

Wait, I thought you brits used km/h?

[MikeH]

You were wrong as usual.

[giblets]

It's true. I have a friend who insists that he drives better high because when he is he's paranoid about the fuzz. He tells us his high driving is a public service. None of us will ride in a car when he is driving anymore.

I think the 80mph bit is the part that sounds bogus.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

I'm not sure which would be stranger, me on weed or Fun.

I don't think you should be on Fun.

[Proteus_MST]

Because it has the ability to turn upright americans into Canadians or, even worse, into Hippie Communists