Ballot Initiative Proposition 19 in California this fall calls for the legalization of recreational marijuana. I am very much opposed to this initiative.

Proponents of Prop 19 say that legalization an taxation will generate substantial amount of revenue for state, which will help our budgetary problems. My argument is that this is a short term solution to a long term deeper problem, which is the way in which our government irresponsibility spend our tax dollars. This is a totally different issue. Whether we tax pot or not, we are still going to have budget problems. Taxing marijuana is not going to the root of the problem.

Proponents also say that enforcement of marijuana laws are expensive and could be better spent elsewhere. I disagree. In fact I feel that marijuana laws are rarely enforced in California. Possession of marijuana could get you as little as $100 fine, that is nothing. We should make enforcement stricter, substantially fines heavier, which will not only reduce economic incentive to use marijuana(as it will ultimately drive up the price of marijuana), but also generate income for the state via fines.

I also don't buy this "marijuana isn't that unhealthy" argument. At the end of the day, being "high" distorts your perception of reality, causes a loss of coordination, causes loss of memory, and increases the rate of lung infection. We already have people who abuse alcohol and drive drunk and kill innocent people in the process, do we really want to make it easier for people to drive "high"?

it is for these reasons I think the arguments used by the Pro-Marijuana groups are flawed. I want to hear your opinions.