It’s about time government gives up the fight against marijuana. Long time readers of this blog know my position on legalization of marijuana: I’m for taxation and regulation, period.

I’m also for taxing and regulating online gambling. I see both these as a matter of economics and destiny. The government could take the money from this and help pay down our mounting debts. I want there to be some kind of future where America is not completely poverty-stricken. If you think these concerns are too premature, do some research on the subject.

America being bankrupted won’t happen in my lifetime, even if Republicans are in office for the rest of my years, but I’m looking for generations beyond. We have to make some sort of economic changes today, now, soon. Even if some changes are radical.

There are a lot worse things in the world to be focusing energy and resources on than chronic.

At least 11 states have figured out that pot, at least for medicinal purposes, could be helpful. Why are we telling the sick and infirm what they can take for pain? For that matter, why are we telling people in the privacy and safety of their homes that they can’t break out a bowl and light up?

BOOMj posts that Calfornia courts ruled that employers can fire workers who use medical marijuana with legal doctor approval. Is it just me who thinks this is wrong? Meanwhile, the American Medical Association is still labeling pot a "tightly controlled and dangerous drug that should not be legalized until more research is done."

Please.

Pot is dangerous how? I’m not talking the obvious dangerous like driving a motor vehicle stoned, which is stupid and should be prosecuted like DUI. I’m talking what the drug actually does to users. It makes them hungry and mellow. When was the last time you heard some maniac went on a serial killing spree stoned?

My wife has been in pain since being hit by a car in a crosswalk on November 2003. Surgery helped her for a little while, but the winter months really bother her. She’s looking at all sorts of options to help her get past the pain. I see that Washington is one of the 11 states (Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.) where medical marijuana use is allowed with doctor’s approval. I don’t know if my wife would be for smoking pot if it helped her because she has asthma, but I’m saddened seeing her live in pain.

• Nevada may go to pot
• Supreme court ruled medical marijuana users may face arrest
• 15,000+ doctors social networking over patient cases = Sermo
• Running using excessive pain relief cream cause of death for 17 year old
• Surgery today
• Study finds hands-free cell phone drivers are still impaired