I've obviously already made it clear that I favor the idea that it is up to the citizens of the states to choose a path about marijuana -- legalization for medical or recreational purposes notwithstanding.
I do not believe that there is anything inherently morally wrong about using marijuana recreationally. I personally do not use it, but this is simply because I do not enjoy the feeling that is the "high." I feel, however, that what I may not like may be magic to others, so I make no judgments about it. I think if the feeling were not so overwhelming, I would probably enjoy it.
All of that aside, I have always been a MAJOR advocate for the complete legalization of the plant. The reason for my feelings are just that. It is a plant. My arguments go no further than that, as I believe that simply statement covers all of the arguments against the gift of nature.
Allow me to give you a ridiculous example of this to demonstrate why legalization efforts should solely be left up to majority public opinion:
1. Argument one: Getting high is immoral.
Retort: It is a plant.
2. Argument two: Kids could get ahold of it.
Retort: It is a plant.
3. Argument three: The Bible says....
Retort: It is a plant.
4. Argument four: It can be controlled as commerce, thus is subject to Congress's power to regulate commerce.
Retort: Wrong. It is a plant.
So, I think you see where I am going with this. For the record, I feel the same way about the opium poppy and the coca tree, both of which require extensive processing for conversion into heroin or cocaine; albeit a little less when it comes to strictly "getting high" from the poppy, as one can make a crude opium extraction with little knowledge. I digress. My reason for supporting legalization of these two as well, even though they never will be in our prohibitionist society? Quite simply, really -- they are plants.
So, when you think about cannabis in this light, that is, that it is a plant -- you really don't have to launch into a long oratory about how the Tenth Amendment leaves powers not expressly given to Congress in the Constitution to be delegated to the states, although such a diatribe may help the cause in the end. The fact of the matter is -- cannabis grows from a seed planted in the earth. In its most basic form, it was here before we were, yet we can literally, through written law, make its very existence illegal?
How can we preach peaceful coexistence about ANYTHING if we are willing to exterminate something else? Think about it.