cannabisnews.com: Roger Ebert Says Legalize It Roger Ebert Says Legalize It Posted by FoM on June 29, 2000 at 11:12:51 PT By Roger Ebert, Film Critic Source: National Review Excerpts from his revealing review of Grass. It is agreed by reasonable people that one of the results of anti-drug laws is to support the price of drugs and make their sale lucrative. If drugs were legalized, the price would fall, and the motive to promote them would fade away. Since anyone who wants drugs can get them now, usage would be unlikely to increase. Crime would go down when addicts didn't have to steal to support their habits, and law enforcement would benefit from the disappearance of drug-financed bribery, payoffs and corruption. All of this is so obvious that the opposition to the legalization of drugs seems inexplicable — unless you ask who would be hurt the most by the repeal of drug laws. The international drug cartels would be put out of business. Drug enforcement agencies would be unnecessary. Drug wholesalers and retailers would have to seek other employment. If it is true (as often charged) that the CIA has raised money by dealing in drugs, it would lose this source of funds free from congressional accounting. Who would benefit if drugs were legalized? The public — because both drug usage and its associated crimes would diminish. Despite the logic of this argument, few political candidates have had the nerve to question the way our drug laws act as a price support system, and encourage drug usage… …Am I in favor of drugs? Not at all. Drug abuse has led to an epidemic of human suffering. Grass seems relatively harmless, but I have not known anyone who used hard drugs and emerged undamaged. Still, in most societies throughout human history, drug use has been treated realistically — as a health problem, not a moral problem. Have our drug laws prevented anyone from using drugs? Apparently not. Have they given us the world's largest prison population, cost us billions of dollars and helped create the most violent society in the first world? Yes. From an objective point of view — what's the point? By Roger Ebert, Film Critic, Chicago Sun Times, June 16, 2000E-mail: letters nationalreview.com Published: June 28, 2000National Review 215 Lexington Avenue New York, New York 10016 Related Articles & Web Site:Grass The Movie - A Ron Mann Filmhttp://www.grassthemovie.com/Grass - Salon Magazinehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6065.shtmlDan Mindus On Grass - National Reviewhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6005.shtmlCensors Give Grass Green Light on Appealhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5966.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by meagain on January 06, 2001 at 20:51:08 PT lol U know I think Dear abby would even agree [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by CD1 on June 30, 2000 at 09:10:07 PT SAYS IT ALL Mr. Ebert's last paragraph says it all plainly and perfectly. I wished I had written this. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by dddd on June 29, 2000 at 17:11:52 PT Speakin' out I think it's promising to see a stuffy critic like Mr Ebert,lay down his cautious reality check. I have a feeling,that people like him will not be able to resist speaking out against this ridiculous,lopsided evil assault on American Americans....The idea of "America" ,is becoming quite grotesque,and nebulous......dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by MikeEEEEE on June 29, 2000 at 17:10:31 PT brillant guy common sense always wins. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by JT420 on June 29, 2000 at 16:34:40 PT Somebody had to say it... Thumbs up to that review! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: