Pot to Legalize in CA? and Thoughts on the Drinking Age

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/918711.html

Pot smokers rejoice. California is considering legalizing marijuana as a way to beat back the recession. Personally, I think it's about friggin' time. And don't say "oh well kids will just get it" because, news flash, kids get it already. The law would pretty much treat pot like alcohol: no buying if under 21, not near schools, no public use.

Also, for anyone who says pot should be illegal, consider this:
-It's already legal to use it for medical purposes, meaning pot can actually be good for you
-Smoking cigarettes is legal and contains far more harmful chemicals in a cigarette than a joint could contain
-I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure being drunk is more dangerous than being high.
-In case many of you have forgotten, we're in a recession. Legalizing pot would pump some money into the economy. On the same note, a lot of dealers could actually have real jobs.
-Pot isn't cocaine, heroin, LSD, acid, any of that. So don't compare it to them and don't say "legalizing pot would lead to legalizing <insert random hard drug here>."

So why is pot illegal? Can't say because it is addicting, because cigarettes are extremely addicting. Can't say because it isn't healthy, because cigarettes and alcohol are probably worse for you. If I had to guess, it's because of the association with anti-war supporters which many politicians falsely assume is the same as being anti-American. But that's just my opinion.

On another note, if pot is legalized (even if it is just 1 state) the nation should reconsider the drinking age. By that I mean bring it back down to 18. Don't even try saying people at 18 aren't mature enough to drink because there's far more mature things people can do at 18. Allow me to list a few big ones that are legal once you hit 18:
-you can vote for any office, including president of the United States
-you can join the military, effectively meaning you can fight and die for your country
-you are tried as an ADULT in court
-you can obtain a license to drive with as many people in the car at any time you want (that's New Jersey, but whatever)
-you can have sex without parental consent (I'm not sure if that only applies to girls, but that's still pretty big)

Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure ALL of the above are things that require more maturity than drinking could ever need.

the big thing is that in this society, many people are afraid of drivers under the influence MADD. And there are statistics out there that prove there are less accidents when drivers under 21 did not drink...


with that said I think that the only reason people do not approve of marijuana is because that it impairs people temporarily and people fear what they don't understand.