It's not my place to dictate what people can and cannot do in their own time. Nor is it anyone else's place to force their own morals and ethics on others.

Marijuana is a significantly milder, safer and less addictive alternative to alcohol, and we could prevent a lot of the harm and addiction that alcohol causes by letting people choose marijuana instead of alcohol. EVERY state should have the right to legalize marijuana like wine!

I'd vote to approve it. Marijuana is an herbal medication to help with millions of medical problems from pain to depression. It's safer and no ones died from smoking to much pot. Good luck guys I'll vote Yes

It'll never happen in my lifetime.....think of the money that could be saved on the resources used by law enforcement to enforce drug laws...our state is too stupid to progress to positive change.....

Cannabis is only bad for you because if you get caught your fucked... Laws need to change here in PA, I'm tire of seeing my friends lives ruined by police that claim they are only doing their job... I'm not paying taxes so the police can go out and find people with nickel or dime bags, those people are no threat to society. It time the police started doing their jobs and not wasting time ruining the lives of those who choose to smoke something so harmless! People need to start speaking their minds and letting lawmakers know WE WANT CHANGE!

Jack "mini" Minster must like this idea. From his comments before the election one might have thought he must of been high.
ps Richard H. says hello

Okay let me be the first to say. I suffer from photophobia and they keep feeding me pills that work temporarily. I myself started smoking herb back when I was 13 and found that it works a thousand times better. I smoke once a week and have yet to face a vicious headache in over years. So for people like myself it would deffinetly benefit. I say pass it and Im pretty sure a lot of people would benefit from it...

Might as well me and my friends will just smoke it legal or not

i dont smoke anythin but i say yea i know ppl that do it n make livin wit it too

"In the United States, smoking is responsible for about one in five deaths annually (i.e., about 443,000 deaths per year, and an estimated 49,000 of these smoking-related deaths are the result of secondhand smoke exposure)."

"The official publication of the Scientific Research Society, American Scientist, reported that alcohol is one of the most toxic drugs and using just 10 times what one would use to get the desired effect could lead to death. Marijuana is one of – if not the – least toxic drugs, requiring thousands of times the dose one would use to get the desired effect to lead to death. This “thousands of times” is actually theoretical, since there has never been a case of an individual dying from a marijuana overdose. Meanwhile, according to the CDC, hundreds of alcohol overdose deaths occur the United States each year."

Tobacco and alcohol are regulated commodities, and we see no reason to take action against them despite the astronomical social costs that come with them. From these two excerpts should we be worried about the legalization of marijuana in Pennsyvania? If you have common sense, this should be a rhetorical question....

Yes legalize it there will be ups and downs but what doesn't have its ups and downs? I vote yes to the legliation of marijuana

As a dealer, I'm against legalizing weed. That would eliminate my illegal cash income and make me layoff at least 10 illegal immigrants.

I don't smoke anything or drink but I say yes to legalizing it as there is wayyy too much time and money wasted on dealing with it. Put it with the same laws as smoking and drinking. Let people make the money off of it. tax it. The Commonwealth would make make some good money and maybe we would even see a reduction in the school tax!

Yes. legalize some. Of the others as well tax it and grow it locally

what pennsylvania do something progressive! yea right ! what we need is for overzealous cops wrecking peoples lives and careers over weed. I never call then pigs but this is 1 of the things that makes you use those references. when they take pure enjoyment out of destroying people for smoking weed. and no I have not been busted for smoking weed just pointing out what I have seen over the past 40 plus years

Legalize it! My friends and I in Pennsylvania would love that!

Yeah, that's real smart, legalize it. Marijuana is the flame, heroin is the fuse, LSD is the bomb. One leads to the other and new research suggests that THC, the chemical that gives marijuana its mind-bending properties, kills developing neurons.

Yes! Legalize it! It's time to stop wasting resources prosecuting people for smoking the weed. Let's not forget the medical benefits that have been proven by smoking pot. 90% of the people I know have smoked or are still smoking. I'd rather smoke than drink, but don't dare because it would mean my job (by law my company has to perform radom drug testing--money that they would rather invest in their business).

More More More!!!
Legalize it PA.
I Live In WA & will not ever move unless more states legalize it - @PoliticalGaffe

It's natural and it works! People die all the time from script drugs and alcohol overdoses! The government can't make money off of it because they can't "control it"! I was prescribed EVERYTHING from celexa to lithium with an " it's ok, it's FDA approved but get your blood tested every month to make sure it's not to much"! ARE U KIDDING me??? Poisons !!! All poisons!!! And btw, when was the last time u heard of a marijuana user to hurt, kill, rob, or die from it???? It's just wrong to not let people have a "drug" that they ( government) damn well knows works!!! LEGALIZE!!!

As far as enforcement, treat it like alcohol. Nobody has said that this will lead to tons of potheads smoking in the middle of the street. I can't stand on a corner drinking an open container of beer, so why should a pot smoker be allowed to do it? If you treat it in a similar fashion and restrict where they can be used, it seems like it would work. Besides, it would allow law enforcement to focus on larger issues and save valuable court time.

**History Lesson**
Richard Nixon was the first president to wage the "War on Drugs" and honestly believed that marijuana was a very dangerous substance. Nixon was so convinced that MJ was dangerous, that he appointed his OWN commission to study the dangers of the plant. This commission was later named "The Shafer Commission." Despite being self-appointed by Nixon himself, the commission concluded that MJ should be legalized and regulated like alcohol because it holds very little dangers to individuals and society. Of course, Nixon completely ignored his own commission's advice, and continued the fight on MJ.
If you honestly do alittle research on the history of MJ and how it became illegal, you will be amazed how racist and uninformed we truly were.

It is hard to believe a 1930's law based in racism and payola is still being enforced. While the past 70 years of negative propaganda (I'd be willing to bet funded by Rx drug and alcohol lobbyists) probably have influenced many people's opinions, the reality is that we have spent billions of dollars fighting a plant that is safer than other legal drugs (alcohol, tobacco, SSUIs, etc). Wake up people, it's 2013 and do you really want the government telling you what you can and can't put in your body.

Seems like a win-win-win situation to legalize, regulate and tax it. You would:
- wipe out thousands of victimless crimes that make criminals out of otherwise law-abiding citizens
- free law enforcement to focus manpower and resources on crimes and criminals that actually hurt society
- remove these crimes from crowded court dockets
- minimize the huge underground economy that's fueled by pot sales
- add millions (possibly billions) in federal and state tax revenue from legal sales

These arguments in favor of legalizing have been around for decades. It's about time that we're finally waking up to a common-sense solution to this problem.

Yes to legalizing marijuana.
WIN- Ends much of the "War on drugs" thereby saving big money.
WIN- Empties large population of otherwise reasonable people from jails thereby saving big money to house and also avoid building new prisons.
WIN- Prevents damaging lives of people "caught" smoking and given prison terms
WIN- Tax the legal sales. Generates large revenue to government
WIN- Standardize quality and strength. Allows consumer confidence in value

The only downside I see is legalizing marijuana really then encourages smoking which is a known health hazard. Maybe tax money can be used to develop less harmful mediums for consumption that still provide the desired effects?

Checking in from Washington State, thought you might want to know what happened out here after Pot was legalized. Nothing happened. It was a real yawner. I saw nobody racing out to lite a joint.
Now there is a tax base for the use of the stuff AND the US Prison for Profit has taken a serious blow. A big step in the right direction! The US Prison for Profit is a Global embarassment.

I smoked my first joint in December, 1967, at the tender age of 21.

Now, a mere 45 years later, I still smoke pot. I have never 'graduated' to 'harder' drugs.

I am living proof that prohibitionist propaganda is a fallacy...a blatant lie.

The worst experience I had with marijuana was spending 5 years in Federal Prison for a pot offense.

And, I am as harmless as a Beagle puppy.

I wrote about the escapades that led to my 'vacation.' I admit, I had a great time...no one was injured, no one was killed...there were no victims. We were Americans pursuing happiness in our own way...harming no one nor their property.

The book: Shoulda Robbed a Bank

I would be honored by your review. It's available at Amazon.

All card-carrying members of the DEA need to read: Shoulda Robbed a Bank
Here is one of its reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars... If David Sedaris had written 'Catcher in the Rye'..this would be it, June 30, 2012

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shoulda Robbed a Bank (Kindle Edition)

I have never smoked pot in my life...nor do I ever care to.
I read about this book in numerous Huffington Post comments. Thought I would read it because I know nothing about marijuana or the people involved with it. I am ecstatic that I did. Funny, Funny, Funny!!!
The chapters are like short stories. Stories about unloading boats with helicopters, close encounters with law enforcement, traveling through the jungles of South America. The chapter about the author's first time smoking marijuana made me feel like I was with him...coughing.
All of the characters were just a group of loveable, nice guys and girls. Not what I had been raised to believe...hysterical maniacs high on pot bent on death and mayhem. They were nothing like that.
If you have ever read any of David Sedaris' books, and like them...you will love Shoulda Robbed a Bank.
And the crazy things happening reminded me of Holden Caufield in 'Catcher in the Rye' and the way he staggered through life.
The way the words are put together are like nothing I have ever heard. I am sure I will use many of the sayings found in this book just to dazzle my friends. A terrific read. I love this book.

**History Lesson**
Harry Anslinger was the first man appointed to the head of the Bureau of Narcotics, and traveled throughout the country to convince the states that they should enforce the prohibition of marijuana. Here are some of his quotes.....
“There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others.”
“…the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races.”
“Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death.”
“Reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men.”
“Marihuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing”
“You smoke a joint and you’re likely to kill your brother.”
“Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind.”

It seems as if most of the population is in favor of legalizing marijuana. It has remarkable benefits for people. How is this a democracy when the government doesn't listen to its people? The criminalization of weed is tyrannical!

I don't like marijuana or its supposed affects on people. and i especially dislike stoners, but.... i would be a hypocrite if i didnt think it should be legal. make extremely tough and costly penalties. weed use should have similar laws as tobacco and alcohol. the drug trade would be significantly affected in a negative way. jobs in usa too.

OK everybody, there's just one thing you have to do. Send a quick email to your local State representative telling him or her to support legalization. Here's what I wrote to my representative:

"The news reports that Pennsylvania state Senator Daylin Leach of Montgomery County plans to sponsor a bill to legalize marijuana (http://limerick.patch.com/articles/tell-us-legalize-marijuana-in-pennsylvania-1730a85d). It's time to end this silly prohibition that does nothing more than alienate segments of society, destroy lives with prison terms, and direct law enforcement away from serious crime. Legalize marijuana and let unemployed Pennsylvanians start businesses growing the herb and manufacturing products from it. Taxes on these products will fill State coffers and allow our economy to get back on track. Please support Senator's Leach's bill and any others like it that will end this reprehensible situation."

For any of you concerned about the smoking aspect of "marijuana" you don't need to smoke it. You can ingest it (ie: pot brownies) or use a vaporizor. And if you don't want to "get high" there are now strains that don't get you high but do help with nausea (from chemo), increase your appetite, depression, joint pain, etc. And for you ingorant people who think it's a gateway drug.... that's just riduiclous thinking! The reason I put "marijuana" in parentheses is because (I think) it's a made up name by that Harry Anslinger guy mentioned here by others. It's called cannibis... which by the way occurs naturally in your brain. Put there by God. haha so even if you don't smoke cannibis you have some in your brain anyway.

I think Yes .... its good for what ails you. its natural and less dangerous then alcohol. So i have to vote YEs pleaseeeeeeee.

Though the positives are well outlined in these comments... I will say that cannabis should absolutely be legalized.

Hemp was once a valued and revered resource in this nation- making appearances on early printed money... We are deprived of a natural affordable, and easily grown resource because of archaic small-minded belief systems that were pounded into us since we were grade school students in the D.A.R.E. program.

I am all for paper without killing trees, fuel without drilling, cancer treatment without poison. If people would stop believing what the closed minded politicians with an evil agenda have force fed them, and started thinking for themselves and doing a little research- we could make some real progress.
Anyone for it- add your voice!! Write your representatives, sign petitions- don't sit back and let politicians with fat pockets from bi oil, big pharma, big tobacco, and big alcohol lobbyists keep dragging is down! Time to evolve!!!

The bottom line is that marijuana is more of a help too many things to ppl and there health, school n are kids education ect.. but the problem with it is all these big companies that make the pills that get fed to us and the politicians who get a little grease money from them co. I am a non voter but when and if this comes up that will be the day I become a voter and SAY YES!

Legalize this already ... there is no downside ... never was. Like or not ... learn to love it because it's the best thing going ... just my 2 cents.

Adam young you have no clue what you're writing about… legalizing weed will stop wasting your tax $$ on incarnating people who's only crime is to light up a freakin joint! Im 57 years old have been married for over 35 years raised 2 beautiful children and I've smoked pot for almost 40 years! By legalizing weed you will create jobs something we need thanks to a dysfunctional government! There are many ailments that weed actually helps in addition to chemotherapy! Inn addition it is nature's Viagra! I never in my life thought that this (legalization) would ever happen in my lifetime! Wake up america weed(tax it) & drilling for oil is the only way to get out of 16 trillion $ in debt & 21 by the time barrack gets finished ruining our country! The time has come

**History Lesson**
Remember those commercials with the egg in the frying pan with the guy saying, "This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs."? Those commercials were created by Partnership for a Drug Free America.
Partnership for a Drug Free America (PDFA) was Founded in 1986 by the American Association of Advertising Agencies, PDFA (until recently) received massive cash donations from the alcohol and tobacco industries.
PDFA received tons of money from American Brands (Jim Beam whisky), Philip Morris (Marlboro and Virginia Slims cigarettes, Miller beer), Anheuser Busch (Budweiser, Michelob, Busch beer), and RJ Reynolds (Salem, Winston cigarettes).
Ofcoarse, alcohol and tabacco companies would fight against any legit competition. Puts things in perspective, eh?
Alcohol and tabacco kills hundreds of thousands of people every year yet MJ has never killed anyone in the history of it's use.

Quit putting your people in jail for pot!!!!! The crime dosent fit the punishment