Who opposes legalizing Marijuana and why

There are many types of people who oppose legalizing Marijuana for a variety of reasons. Many of these groups have some very strange reasons and selfish interests. Many are just ignorant of the facts. Here's some of the opposition:

* The Uninformed - People who believe the misinformation that Pot is harmful to society. These people think they are informed because they watched a black & white documentary from the 1950's that promoted such myths as "Pot Causes Hallucinations" or "If you smoke pot, you'll get Reefer Madness". Scary.....

* The Government - Pot has been illegal for so long that no politicians have the political courage to tell the truth about Pot. The ones that do tell the truth are defeated by their opponents that paint them as a druggie. Many of these anti-drug politicians are funded by the Alcohol lobby and Pharmaceutical Companies.

* The Health Care Industry - If the public really found out the truth about all the incredible medicinal properties beneficial from a variety of marijuana plants, then they wouldn't have to see a doctor as often. The new slogan would be "A joint a day, keeps the doctor away".

* Religion - Anything fun is a sin and of the Devil. Churches might lose members as people figure out that God can't be that stupid. Have another glass of wine.

* Moralizers - The morally superior who enjoy looking down their noses at the less fortunate and get a sadistic thrill out of putting people in jail.

* People who do no Drugs - These people who don't drink, don't smoke, in some cases don't even drink coffee. They just don't understand why anyone would want to smoke anything or do any drug. From their perspective the world would be better off if no one did anything.

* The Alcohol Lobby and Pharmaceutical Companies - Legalizing Pot would seriously cut into the sales of Beer and thousands of prescription drugs. Pot would become the recreational drug of choice because it is safer than Beer and easy to grow yourself.

* The Tobacco Lobby - Pot has the ability in some people to help them break the addiction of nicotine. Pot smoking could actually reduce the number of tobacco addicts. Smoking Pot out of a vaporizer eliminates all the carcinogenic and toxic chemicals yet still permits the user to enjoy a safe, clean and pure "high".

* Law Enforcement - There are a lot of people who make a living fighting Pot who would have to go get a real job if Pot were legalized. Police departments get a lot of funding to fight Marijuana and those funds could be returned to the taxpayer if Pot were made legal. Cops would have to chase robbers, rapists, and murderers.

* Government Agencies - Using unconstitutional civil forfeiture laws the government has been able to use the presence of Pot to steal billions of dollars of private property from the People. Drug laws have been an excuse to circumvent our constitutional right and justify wire tap laws, the erosion of protection from illegal searches, key recovery encryption, and domestic spying. If you take a politically unpopular position like this one I'm taking now, the government can plant drugs on you and put you away.

* Pot Dealers - If Pot were legalized then people making money off of selling Pot illegally would be out of business. Pot prices would drop to $10 a bale. Crime relating to illegal Pot money would vanish.

* Wood Industry - Hemp would become the primary source of fiber for paper products as well as a new source for building materials. We wouldn't have to cut down every big tree in the world.

* Private Prisons - If Pot were legalized the private prison industry would be hurt. They would no longer jail Pot smokers. It could free up space for violent criminals.

* Trial Lawyers - Normal people caught with a joint spend billions each year on lawyers to get them off of criminal charges after getting caught with a joint. Lawyers get rich off of the Marijuana laws. If Marijuana were legal this money could be spent sending your kids to college.

* Mental Hospitals - There's a big industry treating people for problems they don't have. If you have insurance, you're crazy until the insurance coverage runs out. If you smoke Pot then you have mental problems. If Pot were legal some of these people would have to get real jobs. We should start treating people who are addicted to 12 step programs.

* Republicans - Pot helps you see reality the way it really is. It's harder to con a Pot smoker on political issues. Once you get stoned it's harder to want to hate Liberals, Queers, Blacks, Pregnant Teens, Draft Dodgers, President Obama, Feminists, Lesbians, Pot Smokers, and other people the Republicans want you to hate. When you're stoned it's harder to like people like Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Bobby Jindal, Dick Cheney, Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, Karl Rove, the KKK, Reverend Sun Myung Moon, People who beat Gay's to Death, People who blow up Abortion Clinics, and the ones who just think they are morally superior in general.

* Political Cowards - Politicians like to pose with police as somebody who is "against drugs" promising to lock up all the pot smokers and throw away the key. These people need an artificial issue to be against so they don't have to face real issues like how to protect the public from crooked lawyers and crooked judges. Political cowards cross all party lines when it comes to pot.

* Others - These groups could also be hurt by legalizing Pot. Car body shops would get less alcohol related wrecks to fix. Hospitals would get less alcohol related business as would alcohol treatment centers and funeral homes. It could hurt cemeteries and tombstone makers as well.

* Drug Cartels in Mexico also oppose legalization as this would eliminate over 70% of their profitable, tax-free income.

(source: http://www.perkel.com/politics/issues/pot.htm and updated by Joe the Stoner)