Marijuana initiative's passage did not increase consumption

When the prohibitionists tell you that drug use will spike if reasonable legislation is passed or even -- gasp -- legalized altogether, show them this article.

The naysayers in Washington state who worked to defeat the recently passed measure making possession of cannabis the lowest of law enforcement priorities all used the argument that teenagers would start smoking like fiends. It didn't happen.

Although [City Attorney Tom] Carr was concerned that the initiative would encourage increased marijuana use among teenagers, he acknowledged that it hasn't happened. "I'm glad I was wrong," he said. "There is nothing to suggest I-75 has caused widespread use of marijuana in Seattle."

Not only that but Seattle saved a bucket of money in costs to prosecute these penny-ante cases. Carr said, "In the first six months of 2004, the city prosecuted 18 cases of marijuana possession, compared with 70 cases during the same time period last year."

Not to mention that 52 people are still functioning as useful members of society and contributing to the tax base. This could work in your town folks