The long-standing ban against the recreational use of cannabis in the United States should be repealed. Furthermore, penalties for possession and trafficking of cannabis should be abolished, and cannabis should be taxed and regulated by the federal agency that controls other legal, but addictive and potentially harmful recreational substances, tobacco and alcohol (l 'ATF). it has been illegal since the Marijuana Tax Act of 1934. Yet, in a population of 284 million (2000 US Census), 70 million Americans say they have smoked cannabis at some point in their lives [NORML]. The prohibition of cannabis is therefore apparently ineffective in changing the habits of a population, just as the prohibition of alcohol was ineffective in 1919-1933. Making otherwise law-abiding citizens fugitives only fills prisons and alienates the population from their government. In fact, the total cost to taxpayers of marijuana-only incarceration (in local, state, and federal prisons) of 15,400 people exceeds $1.2 billion annually. That billion doesn't include how much it costs to investigate, arrest and prosecute "hundreds of thousands of marijuana users arrested each year" [Hall]. Three and a half million people were arrested for marijuana-related crimes during the 8 years under President Clinton! [NORML] More than double the same period before his presidency. Hall goes on to cite a report from the National Academy of Sciences: "there is little evidence that decriminalizing marijuana use necessarily leads to a substantial increase in marijuana use." out of the black market drug traffickers would infiltrate but...... middle of paper ...... because of alcohol and cigarettes, there's really no reason not to.WORKS CITED1. Illegal drugs and America's anguish over alcohol. 1997. Information Plus, Wylie, TX.2. http://www.lectlaw.com/files/drg17.htmThe state of the art in horticulture. A Crime Punishable by Life Behind Bars, by Michael Pollan, from the New York Times Magazine, February 19, 1995.3. http://www.fas.org/drugs/issue7.htmThe FAS Drug Policy Analysis Bulletin, issue 7, June 1999. “Assessments of Adverse Health Effects of Cannabis Use: Ideology and Evidence” by Wayne Hall4. http://www.usemb.gov.do/IRC/drugs/threats.htm ONDCP Chief Releases Report on Drug Threats in the United States, December 2, 2000.5. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1521.a05.htmlThornton, Jacqui “Cannabis Can Kill You” U.S. Census data can be found at www.census.gov.