William F. Buckley, Jr. Quote 

"Marijuana never kicks down your door in the middle of the night.
Marijuana never locks up sick and dying people,
does not suppress medical research,
does not peek in bedroom windows.
Even if one takes every reefer madness allegation
of the prohibitionists at face value,
marijuana prohibition has done far more harm
to far more people than marijuana ever could."

by:
William F. Buckley, Jr.
(1925-2008) American author and journalist, founded 'National Review'
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Hydroponic dope great cause of schitzophrenia. it might not kick you door in but those who have graduated on fromit may well do so
 -- Dr S Bowskill, Newcastle Australia		 
 -- David L. Rosenthal 
It causes schitzophrenia? People "graduate" to other drugs? Nonesense! Statistics do NOT show that. Fact: the anti-drug program DARE has increased drug use among our teens. This government propoganda is emotionally driven to create fear, control people, and remove their freedom of choice. Fact: marijuana is less harmful than cigarettes or alcohol, and is proven to control pain in cancer patients.
 -- Joe, Rochester, MI		 
 -- Liz, Atlanta, GA 
 -- Anonymous 
More people die from prescription drugs than all illegal drugs combined. The Columbine shootings were done by kids on government-mandated ADD drugs. More rights have been lost due to the drug war than any other cause. There is not a single documented case of death due to marijuana use -- find one, if you do not believe it. Prohibition does not work -- except for the politicians, the police, and the lawyers. You cannot seize a murderer's house, car and bank account, but you can seize them from a guy smoking a joint in his own home. Talk about a perversion of justice -- it is a witch hunt with huge payoffs. The sovereignty of the States is also compromised as the federal government extends its reach beyond inter-state commerce and into every one's homes, bank accounts, phone calls, emails, web sites visited, products purchased, cars searched, pockets emptied, and on and on -- and don't forget the 2 million plus Americans behind bars -- most of whom are non-white or poor. The US now imprisons more people per capita than any other country in the world including China. 75% of inmates are non-violent drug offenders. If drugs were decriminalized, the drug war would be over, thousands of policemen would be out of work, and the drug companies would lose billions in lost revenue to plants that people can grow themselves. It is no secret that the Bush family has been running cocaine for decades through Central America (they got rid of Noriega when he got too greedy). SO get off your high horse and let your fellows smoke, drink, or eat what they want. This is a war about money not morals. The honorable thing is to let people make their own choices and take responsibility for those choices -- this is not a privilege but a right!
 -- E Archer, NYC		 
The quote attempts to legitimize marijuana by ultimately making it the lesser of two evils. That still makes marijuana evil. I have good friends that I have grown up with who have used marijuana regularly from their youth; their speech and physical mobility are slurred and lethargic because of it. In the case of my friends, marijuana retarted great talents. The founders new of substance abuse (alcohol) and chose to keep it away from federal jurisdiction (see 9th & 10th Amendments) Marijuana is a State issue, for good or evil.
 -- Mike, Norwalk		 
Well done Archer...
 -- Robert, Sarasota		 
Mike, there are millions of marijuana smokers in America. They include doctors, lawyers, judges, presidents, writers of all kinds, philosophers, ministers, ... all walks of life. Yes, there are a few burn outs like some alcoholics I know. My guess is that the guys you refer to probably have taken other drugs too that have made them lethargic. Never-the-less, the majority of marijuana smokers are contributing members of society that thumb their noses to political hypocrisy. And we punish them severely for that honor.
 -- E Archer, NYC		 
An important point here is who is making this observation--Buckley! It is one area in which he applies his thinking broadly and departs from the established conservative stance that his consituency subscribes to.
 -- Elizabeth , Los Angeles		 
He's wrong and it shows a great amount of ignorance in regards to how it forces someone else's habit on those who chose not to have it. I should not be fumed by some antisocial twit because he thinks freedom means stomping on mine to get it.
 -- Gölök Zoltán Leenderdt Franco Buday, Vancouver, GVRD(Paine Cnty), Coastal Lwr Mainland BC(State of Neo Sumer), U.S. of Eh!		 
If you want to smoke, drink, and eat whatever you want, move to a country where people do not care what you smoke, drink, or eat. Or otherwise, change the laws of this country. To accomplish this with such a majority as you must enjoy, being in the right, as you claim, should be easy and simple. Or you could find a religion that teaches to use marijuana and become a member. Then you could practice that religion and destroy yourself. Oh, you already have? Nevermind.
 -- David L. Rosenthal		 
Yes, David, just expel those who do not share your puritanical views. You ignore the real issue -- the usurpation of government. One by one States are decriminalizing and legalizing marijuana, but Washington, D.C. does not respect the will of the voters and is still imprisoning sick and dying patients who have a legal right to grow, possess, and ingest marijuana. Even the Oakland City Council has taken up growing and distributing marijuana so that they can better fight the illegal and unconstitutional federal authorities who continue to ignore the will of the People. Don't worry, David, I am not going anywhere, and before my time is done marijuana prohibition will be gone. I only hope your kids get caught with pot one day so that you can see how ludicrous the system is and all the stops you will pull out to keep them out of jail.
 -- E Archer, NYC		 
Archer, after reading my little didly, it read some what different than my feelings or thoughts. The one friend I referenced won't touch anything but marijuana and an occasional beer, his attributes are stunted nonetheless. My point was that even though marijuana is more harmful than its proponents claim, its personal use is still a matter of right and the largest political body that has authority to address the effects of its use is the State. I do believe severe penalties should be inflicted upon those that place undue pressure on others to partake, on those under the influence that impose on the rights of others and upon those that sell it to children.
 -- Mike, Norwalk		 
Understood, Mike. There are a great many dangers, cons and temptations in this world -- some of which have dire consequences -- like jumping off a cliff into a mountain lake or driving your car in Boston. Life is full of risks -- it still amazes me that we make it to age 20 with (most of) our fingers! And all of us who raise children know what mistakes we want our children to avoid. But in the end they will be on their own without our supervision and will have to rely on their own wits and good sense. Government makes a poor parent. What will a free man do with his freedom? If experience be any guide, there will always be someone who indentures himself yet again and voluntarily forges his own chains. I have a tremendous respect for an addict who has conquered his dependency and is yet free again. You cannot protect a man from himself without turning him into a slave.
 -- E Archer, NYC		 
Does this mean that you would not prohibit the use of any substance? Are you willing to prohibit any type of behavior at all? What, and why? Or is everything acceptable to you?
 -- David L. Rosenthal		 
I agree with everything Archer has said here. And for David: de jure statutes can never prohibit any type of behavior, it can only define where my rights end and your nose begins which is consistent with what I've written here. Justice is then the entity that corrects the infraction.
 -- Mike, Norwalk		 
Try English. The law, when it declares something a crime, means to prohibit.
 -- David L. Rosenthal		 
Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it. (Thoreau)
 -- E Archer, NYC		 
 -- Anonymous, Reston, VA US 
This is a good quote, but it doesn't belong to Buckley. Buckley was quoting Richard Cowan, ex-director of NORML. See: http://www.marijuananews.com/marijuananews/cowan/tahoe_paper_carries_front_page_a.htm Seventh paragraph down.
 -- John Thomas		 
Better yet, see Buckley's article where he gives credit to Cowan here: http://www.marijuananews.com/marijuananews/cowan/buckley_writes_on_mcwilliams_and.htm
 -- John Thomas		 
The Government should legalize marijuana. I have not heard a negative except for the punishment of using.
 -- bea hickey, butler		 
 -- ellen key, valpoten 
I think what E Archer said first is exactly correct. Marijuana is used for lots of things. When it first came around and was't illegal it was used to help people go to sleep. And I have never heard one story of a man beating his wife and kids because he was on marijuana. You only hear stories like that about alcohol. Marijuana is much safer and the side effects are much less worse then alcohol. Very very nice quote.
 -- Kristen, Magnolia		 
 -- Anonymous 
When they legalized 18 year-old alcohol sales in 1970, there was carnage on the highway for 12 years until they changed the laws back to 21. Legally stoned drivers would be a nightmare for law enforcement and the public. That people seem to need intoxicants is such a pity and that peer pressure reinforces their use is another shame. If only it would be cool to be straight, people could save so much money and grief. Listen to someone speak who is drunk or stoned to hear the damage done. It's all bad. The old argument between drugs or alcohol is empty logic.
 -- Tim, Maui		 
Tim from Maui --- Most people who would consume marijuana after legalization, already do so. 100 million Americans have smoked pot. It's as American as apple pie. -- With all this experience with all these consumers, we have seen marijuana is not a significant cause of auto accidents. Marijuana is NOT alcohol. Studies have shown marijuana is less intoxicating and less impairing than alcohol. More importantly, they have also shown that while alcohol drinkers think they are better drivers, thus driving faster and more aggressively, marijuana consumers prefer not to drive. If they must, they drive slower and more cautiously to compensate. So, there is little to worry about on this score. --- Marijuana is not just an intoxicant. It is considered a mental enhancement. See: http://www.marijuana-uses.com/read.html
 -- John Thomas, Atlanta		 
Kristen, I just need to correct you on a small matter of historical accuracy. You say "When it first came around and was't illegal it was used to help people go to sleep." A native of central Asia, cannabis may have been cultivated as long as ten thousand years ago. It was certainly cultivated in China by 4000 B.C. and in Turkestan by 3000 B.C. It has long been used as a medicine in India, China, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, South Africa, and South America. The first evidence for medicinal use of cannabis is an herbal published during the reign of the Chinese emperor Chen Nung five thousand years ago. Cannabis was recommended for malaria, constipation, rheumatic pains, absentmindedness, and female disorders. Another Chinese herbal recommended a mixture of hemp, resin, and wine as an analgesic during surgery. In India cannabis has been recommended to quicken the mind, lower fevers, induce sleep, cure dysentery, stimulate appetite, improve digestion, relieve headaches, and cure venereal disease. In Africa it was used for dysentery, malaria, and other fevers. In the United States it has only been prohibited since the 1930s, and many of our nation's founders grew hemp for both agricultural and medicinal products. "When it first came around" LOL Thanks of the laugh.
 -- Angie, Lynnwood,WA		 
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