I recently read an essay by Gore Vidal to one of my English 101 classes. The article, titled Drugs, was originally printed in the New York Times in 1970 and argued that drug prohibition was not only ineffective, but it was, in a word, stupid.  

With the election of Barack Obama, legalization advocates started stocking up on rolling papers and bongs in anticipation of what they perceived as a softening (if not elimination) of the war against marijuana - the WAM, if you will. 

So far that dream remains unfulfilled, though 13 states currently allow medical marijuana and 13 more, including my home state of Illinois (go Cubs!), are in the process of medicalizing (did I just make up a word?) cannabis.

The idea that marijuana is a schedule 1 drug is ludicrous, which might explain its inclusion on that list by the federal government.   Years (OK, decades) of personal use and witnessing the same have shown that marijuana, while obviously not 'good for you' is not a gateway drug and is no more harmful than most cold medicines and much less harmful than cigarettes, alcohol, saturated fats, sugar and most prescription drugs.  

Of course, personal experience is no way to run a country (or, apparently, the Supreme Court).  It’s a good thing we have decades of study after study after study indicating the benefits of pot

The medical benefits of marijuana have been well established for decades, no matter what you saw in Reefer Madness or what Richard Nixon said. Weed has been used for  pain alleviation for AIDS and cancer patients, helps people suffering from glaucoma, alleviates nausea, and relieves muscle spasticity and pain for people suffering from multiple sclerosis.  In some patients it can even prevent seizures for those suffering from epilepsy.

Marijuana is not only virtually non-toxic, by comparison to easily available and legal substances, it’s practically as good for you as oatmeal and broccoli.  The amount of weed you need to become intoxicated versus the level needed to overdose is 40,000 to 1.  The same ratio for alcohol is less than 10 to 1.  Not only that, weed has the ability to increase the activity of alpha waves in the brain, stimulating creativity.

I'm looking forward to the first prescription (and over-the-counter) commercials for weed: Suffer from social anxiety disorder?  Can't sleep?  Appetite isn't what it used to be? Try Cannibol.  Side effects may include a greater appreciation of music, improved sensitivity to taste, music appreciation, and a general mellow feeling.  Prolonged use my increase your sensitivity to different cultures and lifestyles and may improve your sex life.  Please use as directed.

According to a California NORML report, legalization there would bring the state at least $1.2 billion in tax revenue, save the state $170 million in law enforcement costs and create an industry that could generate as much as $5 billion annually.  And that doesn't include what it would do for the fast food and snack cake industries.

So besides increasing community revenue, cutting spending, (thus helping to alleviate financial issues on a state and federal level), lowering incarceration rates, aiding the sick, and just plain expanding common sense (at least with regards to drug policy) there are no reasons to legalize marijuana.