I agree and would even go further. Stop the idiotic "War on Drugs" altogether. It's costing us billions and as we have seen over the last few decades, it's going nowhere.

this is the only thing that makes sense and the state will gain massive revenue rather than feeding the police state's more tax dollars for its endless need to make citizens into crooks.

I am coining a new campaign slogan for our future lawmakers to live and campaign by: "Dump the Draconians"

Estimates show that marijuana is America’s number one cash crop. However, marijuana remains untaxed. This is a new source of income for our nation, an income we desperately need.

Over 500 of the nation’s top economic professors have shared their opinion in supporting the removal of prohibition and imposing the taxation and regulation of marijuana as a way to slow the federal deficit.

Marijuana prohibition is costing America upwards of $20 billion annually. The hemp industry would not only create jobs, it would free up court time and jail space for real criminals among many other benefits. The list could go on.

Sign the petition in the video description.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_tUy6fylQs

All card-carrying members of the DEA need to read: Shoulda Robbed a Bank
Here is one of its reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars... If David Sedaris had written 'Catcher in the Rye'..this would be it, June 30, 2012

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shoulda Robbed a Bank (Kindle Edition)

I have never smoked pot in my life...nor do I ever care to.
I read about this book in numerous Huffington Post comments. Thought I would read it because I know nothing about marijuana or the people involved with it. I am ecstatic that I did. Funny, Funny, Funny!!!
The chapters are like short stories. Stories about unloading boats with helicopters, close encounters with law enforcement, traveling through the jungles of South America. The chapter about the author's first time smoking marijuana made me feel like I was with him...coughing.
All of the characters were just a group of loveable, nice guys and girls. Not what I had been raised to believe...hysterical maniacs high on pot bent on death and mayhem. They were nothing like that.
If you have ever read any of David Sedaris' books, and like them...you will love Shoulda Robbed a Bank.
And the crazy things happening reminded me of Holden Caufield in 'Catcher in the Rye' and the way he staggered through life.
The way the words are put together are like nothing I have ever heard. I am sure I will use many of the sayings found in this book just to dazzle my friends. A terrific read. I love this book.

FlyingTooLow you made a choice to do something illegal. A lot of folks don't agree with a lot of laws, but you don't get to pick and choose which to comply with and not pay the price. I'm only sorry you are being permitted to profit from it.

As to the rest of you who only want to tax something else, let's see how you feel after a high driver injures or worse kills someone you care about. What about the employees you rely on, or maybe even the doctor performing your surgery? You want them legally smoking pot while they drive a forklift, draw your blood, or deliver your packages? There's no pot checkpoint, there's no breath test that will catch them. These aren't just cigarettes and we should not be treating them so lightly. "Because everyone does it" is not an acceptable reason to do something.

Are you blind? His new law says DUI of pot would still be illegal. Also Corbett could care less what we pay on stupid taxes and he could care less about an all natural plant. You know why??? It's because no one will die off of it like they are with non all natural tobacco and alcohol. If it stays on the streets though then we will have more deaths from people mixing whatever they want in buds. Thanks Corbett if this bill isn't passed, expect to see many of your Citizens moving to a safer state.

LEGALIZE IT NOW!!! There are lives being saved right now from hemp! Hemp (when blended correctly) KILLS CANCER CELLS!!! Big Pharma hates this fact because you can not patent a plant and they can't make any money off of it. Research the movie "Run From the Cure" to learn more. Everyone with cancer can heal themselves!

the alcohol lobby is very much against the pot legalization because the amount of money alcohol sales might lose if pot is legalized. Alcohol is a very dangerous drug that can be highly addictive and obviously can cause many deaths, yet, and I say yet, there are pro alcohol people I have seen on other posts on this site, that are soooo against pot legalization. unbelievable. legalize the pot. lets stop this ridiculousness.

Mike k you don't have a clue what your talking about. Do u realize how many people do that already? Maybe if they legalize it then the laws for driving high will increase witch they should deffently be huge fines and jail time for drive in high or drunk. All of the working people still can't smoke it at work just like they can't drink on the clock. So how is a doctor going to be working on you high? Lol

I agree wth him. There certainly is not enough carnage on our roadways now, I mean with alcohol drinking and driving. Phones and texting driving ...we certainly can get some more dope smokers out there well to increase the overall death rate for innocent people....keep up the good work senator !!!

I agree

Ok think of it this way. Drink ten beers and try to Walk Smoke as much marijuana as u can handle and try to walk. If anything alcohol should be the illegal drug not marijuana. So stop lieing to your selfs please and look at the facts

Tony I agree, lets think of how much alcohol brings the state AND alcohol related crimes. They already can pull you over for no reason to checkout how much you've had to drink. If people can smoke weed they will drink less period. Next the gateway theory doesn't make sense if I can get arrested for weed or crack it makes you think they're on same level which isn't true. Look into history and why weed was taxed so high then govt brainwashed future generations.. Presidents and Olympians have smoked..need anyone else to think about?

Yes! Legalize it! We need MORE stoned people!

does anybody even know Jesus Christ was baptized with cannabis oil. everybody's acting like its evil….

"The holy anointing oil, as described in the original Hebrew version of the recipe in Exodus, contained over six pounds of keneh-bosum – a substance identified by respected etymology, linguists anthropologists, botanists and other researchers as cannabis extracted into about six quarts of olive oil along with a variety of other fragrant herbs.

"The ancient annointed ones were literally drenched in this potent mixture."

Source- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2633187.stm

Those who use, will use...legal or not...
those opposed, will not...
Imagine the space if all mj offenders were released from jail/prison...
imagine the economic benefit...
imagine all the people living life in peace...
just imagine...

No way it won't be worse. Alcohol will always be worse no matter what you say. Alcohol is legal and do people drive drunk?? Yeah they do. This is just like the stupid gun laws. Put a gun in the wrongs hands and they do bad things. Same as mj everyone pushes the law. I don't agree with it but they do. Simple legalization won't cause the state to all go out and drive high.

Legalize. Regulate. Tax and stop incarcerating. Senator Leach is right about the savings and FlyingTooLow is right about freedom. The incarceration rate in PA went from about 8,000 in 1980 to about 50,000 today. Taking someones freedom away for a personal habit is unjust and deplorable, and is ruining our urban communities. I also agree with Senstor Leach's concept of using our existing state store system as an initial control mechanism. Unless Corbett sells them off that is.

There are many people here in PA that need a bill passed for MEDICAL purposes. Not everyone just likes to "get high."

It is still going to be Federally illegal, so it really doesn't matter. I work in the peoples Republic of Jersey were they have medical marijuana. My company told us, if we flunk a random piss test a prescription makes no difference. National drug free work place make it illegal. Although you can take mind altering antidepressants with a prescription. Makes sense to me????????????????????

The two most dangerous drugs thats killing people everyday is alcohol n cigarettes n their legal marijuana doesn't effect u in anyway but makes u want to eat n it's illegal this gov is sick n things needs to change

I've been red green color blind since as far back as I can remember I never thought anything about it though growing up because that's how I saw colors it wasn't until I was 9 when my one teacher had a feeling something wasn't quite right with me and colors so I took a ishahara test and found out I am red green deficient and was told that there is no cure and I will be partly color blind the rest of my life. Receptors in my eyes cannot properly put colors together which makes colors look like other colors or I just cannot simply tell what color it is. If you hold a green and brown or red and pink or blue and purples of similar tone I can't tell the difference. Here is where we bring in Marijuana. I've been smoking this simple plant for just about 5 years now regularly. I started to notice some different variations in certain colors mostly brown, green, red, pink, purple and some shades of blues that looked more vibrant and that I coul tell them apart more easily! Awesome! But how? Why is this drug illegal? It's less harmful than a glass of water... I say less because you can drown in water. You can't die from Marijuana. It's not physically possible. But yet it's still a schedule 1 narcotic. This is bullshit, pardon my French. Just an outraged citized who physically saw the benefits from marijuana first hand, literally.

As tho there isn't enough problems with the drug called alcohol. Now your going to add 'pot'? Now the kids can be drunk, be high on pot & text while driving. But hey, don't smoke tobacco.

@jeepers63 why doe it always come down to diving high? I'd much rather see someone driving high then drunk. Not that I agree with it but its true. You can fully function on pot and possibly act better on it.

Does*

It's not going to be legal as much as we all want it to be. It would make way to much sense for are gov to deal with. Why put millions back in are state and make everyone happy ? No way that's to much thinking for us

Fucking do it already !!

Using Marijuana is as harmless as whistling and yet getting caught can ruin your life. This benign plant has been used by mankind for millennia and yet because of one misguided American president, Richard M Nixon possession is a federal offense. We all know how things worked out for him but his legacy remains. Alcohol is the single most destructive drug that mankind indulges in. It promotes aggression and destructive behavior while conferring absolutely no benefit. It also wrecks your liver, wrecks your marriage and distorts your judgment and perception of reality like no other substance. Pot does none of that. Being high is not being drunk and for those of you who posit this false equivalency, you're just wrong. I've never seen pot wreck a marriage. If anything, it's a sedative that relaxes, reduces pain and promotes creativity. We could use a lot more pot smokers and a lot fewer drunks. The world will be fundamentally different if that were to occur.

GET THE THUGS OUT OF DRUGS.

LEGALIZE