<a href=http://norml.com/index.cfm?Group_ID=3381>Marijuana Decriminilizaton Points</a>
TALKING POINT #1:
Decriminalizing marijuana frees up police resources to deal with more serious crimes.
TALKING POINT #2:
Far more harm is caused by the criminal prohibition of marijuana than by the use of marijuana itself.
TALKING POINT #3:
Decriminalization does not lead to greater marijuana use.
TALKING POINT #4:
Criminal laws prohibiting marijuana possession do not deter marijuana use.
TALKING POINT #1: Decriminalizing marijuana frees up police resources to deal with more serious crimes.
heres some general stats: the refernces can be found on the page i linked above.
60,000 individuals are behind bars for marijuana offenses at a cost to taxpayers of $1.2 billion per year.
Taxpayers annually spend between $7.5 billion and $10 billion arresting and prosecuting individuals for marijuana violations. Almost 90 percent of these arrests are for marijuana possession only.
And since its DECRIMINILIZED in California:
The state of California saved nearly $1 billion dollars from 1976 to 1985 by decriminalizing the personal possession of one ounce of marijuana, according to a study of the state justice department budget.
Marijuana arrests have more than doubled since 1991, while adult use of the drug has remained stable. During this same period, the number of arrests for cocaine and heroin fell by approximately 33 percent.
Police arrest more Americans per year on marijuana charges than the total number of arrestees for all violent crimes combined, including murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.
those quotes only cover Talking Point 1, I suggest people read them all.
<a href=http://norml.com/index.cfm?Group_ID=3381>Marijuana Decriminilizaton Points</a>