Looks like the economic situation has finally tipped the scales, so to speak, in favor of marijuana legalization.  The city council in Oakland, California unanimously supported some measure to legalize pot so they could tax it to help make up part of their 43 million dollar deficit.  Of course, it isn't official just yet and has to be voted on in about a month, but that's where it stands. 

I'm really interested in seeing how they try to deal with the federales on this one.  I mean, it's still federally illegal, and the federal government trumps state and local, so it's technically illegal for Oakland to pass this measure.  The other side of the coin is this: what business does the federal government have in declaring pot illegal?  For the record, I'm not a supporter of recreational marijuana, but it doesn't piss me off, either.  I've seen very compelling arguments that it's much worse than alcohol, which I DO enjoy from time to time without going broke, having to steal from my neighbors, or beating my children.

Compare it to cocaine or crystal meth, and it looks like what advocates claim it to be.  Compare it to bottled triple filtered water, and of course it's dirty.

I would really like to see a more objective review of controlled substances and compare it to things that we ARE allowed to do, then kick the government out of the whole damned thing.