There must be some fundamental differences between British marijuana and what's available in the U.S. According to legalization advocates here, especially the ones who always post comments on JT articles, marijuana is totally harmless or even beneficial. I wonder which side in the debate is using misinformation.

I don't care about the risks they still do not compare to the legal drugs that are offered!! Are you telling me that any one has died from Marijuana? how about all those legal ones? Oh but their protected because the side effects are posted on the bottle.Is that suppose to make me feel better?

I'm a "legalizer" and I think marijuana is beneficial in many ways, and much less harmful than many other substances that are legal and widely available.

Will legalization proponents never tire of flouting the much-used and very tired myth that marijuana never killed anyone? Countless traffic accidents caused by drivers high on pot account for numerous injuries and fatalities across the country. On-the job injuries and "accidents" in the home also contribute to the toll. Good old "harmless pot" is anything but. And it is simple enough to understand-- marijuana clouds judgement, slows response, distorts perception and retards mental function-- hardly limitations likely to benefit the driver behind the wheel. (Just check out the SPECT brain scans of pot smokers to fully appreciate the adverse impact of marijuana on neural function and activity.) How many impediments does it take to up the potential and likelihood for serious accidents and injuries? And the "better" (i.e., stronger in THC content) the pot, the greater the risk. Give us all a break, potheads, and drop this tissue-thin argument to try to justify smoking junk.

While some people (and I think the percentage is small and usually consists of inexperienced users) using marijuana may experience paranoia, panic attacks and/or memory loss, there is little to no evidence that these effects persist once the marijuana wears off or long-term.

There are a lot of things one shouldn't do while under the influence of a mind-altering substance, but that doesn't mean the substance should be illegal. This is a specious argument.

Both sides make use of misinformation, of course. If you care about something enough to be an advocate, you probably care enough to exagerate and misrepresent. Because of Reefer Madness, I know tha t smoking pot makes people psychotic and dangerous to all those around them. That's why I'm glad we have law enforcement out there protecting us and getting a bigger budget by scaring people that don't know any better and by marginalizing/persecuting the already downtrodden and disadvantaged. And why I'm glad we have people in this country who know what's best for me. Prison is clearly more beneficial to drugs when it comes to the mind and spirit.

Prison is clearly more beneficial THAN drugs when it comes to the human mind and spirit, excuse me.

The article talked about how much the kids professed to knowing what the bad effects are. There are years that that was not even true. It used to be that youth was very uneducated and never would agree to side effects. Maybe this is progress? Maybe the kids are learning and it is keeping them from doing stupid things while under the influence like drive. The article was about the kids admitting to side effects without being forced. Doesn't anyone but me see this as a step in the right direction to educate the public and fight drug use, especially with teens.

senseless I hope you are kidding about Reefer Madness as that is a satiracal look at some serious overacting by actors and gov producers. It is not reality. I don't think pot is OK, but that movie was a joke and still is where I work in a drug and alcohol prevention library. If you were kidding, then I apologize for getting it wrong.

I hate to break it to ya, but I am one of the many people whom benefit from cannabis, and so does my father, who does not smoke("junk"). I suffer from a severe groin injury cause chronic pain in my reproductive area... And some of the chemicals found in the plant, DO HELP! When I wake up from pain at night, I can get relief, or after a long days worth of driving when the irritation is at MAX. you see!? My father, a HD patient, has benefits from cannabis' wide array of chemicals that serve to him as NERO-protectors, and they help to slow the progression of his disease. For us this is not about GETTING STONED past the point of functioning. IN FACT, it is about getting relief to where you can once again become a functioning member of society. If taking a few puffs or leaf capsules a day help improve our quality of life, who is to say we should not be allowed to do so? ESPECIALLY when it is done RESPONSIBLY, and in the privacy of our own home!? Thank you - B.

I was being facetious in just about everything I said. Of course prison is more damaging than marijuana to the individual, and of course to the society. Reefer Madness was not a joke to begin with. It is comical precisely because it was made in all seriousness. It is one example of government propaganda. I think its great if today's youth is better informed. But statistically, couldn't you get the impression that more kids are popping pills instead of smoking pot? Are they sniffing glue because they fear paranoia? This article really says very little other than kids in the U.K. know how to avoid hearing another lecture: by telling the authorities what they want to hear.

senseless You do make a lot of sense. Thanks for the post.

To continually dismiss those who support the legalization and regulation of cannabis "pot heads" suggests an unwillingness to discuss what is an extremely important topic. We do not solve any problems by shoving them underground.

Brinna, the only thing that goes underground are the unfortunate victims of potheads high behind the wheel. Check your local treatment clinic, especially any that treat asolescents and younger adults-- and determine for yourself the primary "drug of choice" for which they are receiving addiction treatment. Then try to convince me again that I am being unreasonable in my argument against legalization. Should you lack such facilities reasonably near by, just check out the SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) brain scans of pot heads conducted by Dr Damiel Amen, among others, to assess the damage done to neural function. Then try to convince yourself that marijuana is harlmess. As concerns the beneficial aspects of THC, please do consider the availability of the pharmeutical Merinol (generic dronabinol.) I know, Marinol supposedly doesn't work as well (even though it provides an unadulterated dose of THC-- unfortunately for pot heads,just not enough if used according to prescription, to get wasted.) And it is expensive, but then so is treatment, criminal justice system costs, etc. In sum, legalization arguments are at best specious, and generally worn tissue-thin.