Yup, that sounds exactly like the Roaring ’20s and the Dry ’30s. Except now it’s gone on SIX times longer than Prohibition for pot. The majority favors legalization or decriminalization, scientifically and medically from a pharmacological study it does not fit in any way the classification of a Schedule One Controlled Substance. To be a Schedule One a drug has to at least have three major proveable characteristics:
Be Habit Forming (Physically Addictive)
Have Known Acute Toxicity (poison effect in short time frame/dosage — the ability to overdose)
Have Known Chronic Toxicity (where you have health problems directly and demonstrably linked to the use of the drug — like getting cancer, diabetes, emphysyma, etc.)

Marijuana doesn’t fit any of these criterion. But I can name you two legal substances that DO fit all these classifications and they’re legal and not on the list.
Tobacco
Alcohol

Both have known addictive chemical potency (brain chemistry altering habit forming drugs)
Both have easily proven and well known Acute Toxic effects.
Both have well documented scientifically proven medical long term chronic effects.

But people still have them and they’re legal. And when they stopped Prohibition, crime went down, less people had to carry guns to fight over turf. Instead of guns, these folks now use their money to buy influence. It’s a tradeoff, but one that, on the whole, is an overall benefit to society, peace and safety.

I take the time to explain this in order to show the hypocrisy of the enforcement. If it wasn’t illegal, the stigma would die off, the gangsters would have to go legit or quit. This pumps more money into the economy legally and garners greater revenue for the governmnt coffers (taxation) and provides better quality product that you don’t have to wonder is sprayed or laced with paraquat or some other pesticide the DEA and other PDs spray all over the place. (Reduced cost of enforcement and resources conserved, put to better uses.)

Reduced desire on the part of Mexican smugglers to sneak past border patrols and just declare their cargo, pay their roaduse taxes and the purchaser buys it, declares his inventory and the profits from sales and then pays taxes. Nobody shoots, nobody gets hurt, new markets open for recreational, medicinal, psychological, pharmacological and materials use (hemp) and more money is spent here on product made in the USA. Farmers relying on corn sales in this time could revert a few fields for Industrial Hemp. We could make paper, ropes, fiber materials and it grows — like a weed. Someone is even figuring out how to refine the refuse of hemp and recreational marijuana to make Jet Fuel.

All I can see is the hypocrisy of the situation and the ignorance that still prevails out there about how to solve several pressing social, legal and economic issues in a fell swoop for the benefit of the Nation. I look at history and what I see is ignorant people enforcing a damaging law that the majority really doesn’t agree with, but aren’t vocal because they (rightfully) fear persecution for making sense.

This is changing. Why don’t we optimize instead of penalize? Bill Clinton puffed but didn’t inhale, George Bush had to clean up his Coke, drinking and Pot days, Barack Obama openly in his biography admitted he was a stoner. Three Presidents today we know at least tried it. Three Presidents that helped found this nation smoked and grew it — at least. Washington, Jefferson and Adams at least.

So it obviously doesn’t ruin one’s ability to bullshit their way into the Office of the President. One more hypocrisy to end, I say.