There are many laws on the books that have no rational basis for its existence. One of which is the prohibition of the sale and possession of marijuana. These laws were enacted under the myth that marijuana is dangerous to one’s health and by using marijuana the user would turn to drugs like cocaine, heroine and other potent drugs resulting in the creation of junkies, addicts, and crack heads. The law was enacted when hundreds of people became sick when using a bad grade of marijuana. Prior to the repeal of the laws prohibiting the sale of liquor, criminals controlled the flow of liquor at exorbitant untaxed income. When the prohibitive liquor laws were repealed thousands of legal jobs were created. The cost of enforcing these laws was diverted to the enforcement of laws dealing with capital crimes and the states and the government received tremendous tax revenues. The criminal income evaporated and the costs of having to enforce the laws dealing with the sale of liquor was eliminated. In the event that marijuana prohibition laws were repealed the same results achieved in the repeal of the liquor laws would result. It costs the states $28,000.00 annually, and increasing, to house the inmate in a prison. It has been shown that where countries legalized the use of marijuana it was being used less than the amount used before it was legalized. A Mr. John Tierry wrote an article on the use of marijuana in Amsterdam in the New York Times under the heading of “Lighting Up in Amsterdam”. In this article, Mr. Tierry shows the comparison between the attitude of the Netherlands and America on the sale and use of marijuana. The Netherlands position on the use of marijuana is control and legal income while the American attitude is punishment and confinement. More than a half million Americans are annually imprisoned for the possession of marijuana. This fact multiplied by $28,000.00 is a tremendous burden on the American Taxpayer. The use of good grade marijuana has not been shown to be more injurious to one’s health than cigarettes which brings in tremendous tax revenues. The Bush administration can’t even abide it being used for medical purposes of the terminally ill under the position Why having any of it fall into the hands of young people who can turn into pot heads, crack addicts and junkies. Nevada, Colorado and Montana have sensibly legalized the use of marijuana for the treatment of the terminally ill. But if the American drug warriors came to Amsterdam they would learn something even if they didn’t sample any of the dozens of varieties of marijuana sold legally in specialty coffee shops. The drug czars could see that the patrons puffing on joints don’t look any more zombielike than the crowd in an American bar or for that matter a congressional committee listening to a lecture on the evils of marijuana. Even though marijuana has been widely obtainable in Amsterdam since the 1970’s, enough to corrupt a generation, the Dutch have not succumbed to refer madness. The Dutch according to a national survey found that the Dutch use less marijuana than the Americans do. These surveys might understate American drug use since Americans are unlikely to admit to criminal behavior. Surveys further show that the Dutch reported that having tried marijuana Americans were more likely to become regular users. It is believed that occasional drug fads get hyped into a crisis that leads to bad law. Authorities state that prohibition does not reduce drug use but it does have another impact. It takes up enormous police time and generates large criminal income. In the Netherlands drug income goes to the coffee shops that disburse marijuana and the government which exacts heavy taxes. The Netherlands imposes strict regulations on what goes on in the coffee shops including who can be served (no minors). Any violation of the laws can quickly close down a shop. Unlike street buyers in America, Dutch customers know exactly what grade and strength they are purchasing. Americans have the option of either repealing the marijuana possession laws and be able to purchase high quality marijuana, create thousands of jobs, extinguish the income going to criminals, eliminate the costs of enforcing these spiteful and draconian laws, or on the other hand pay enormous funds for the enforcement of the prohibitive laws which are not working, have the income to criminals continue, depriving the purchaser of obtaining good quality marijuana. The evidence the drug czars rely on is in the results of users consuming bad grades of pot sold by street sellers (known as “Shit”). If marijuana was made legal than the states can assess the grade of the marijuana by inspection before distribution. The Dutch marijuana policy works in that country and there is no reason it can not work in America. So America light up.