I've watched since the late 60's how many people have fared in the long term after using pot a little, or to the extreme. Some have gone on to a "life" of nothing but drugs, oblivion, uselessness, and then suffering chronic disease and death from lung cancer, COPD etc. and cirrhosis of the liver and whole body alcohol effects. More of them have been able to finish college, get a career job using their degree, etc. and were able to walk away from it as Richie describes. Looking at my high school and college friends who either walked away and lived a productive life, and those who became a total waste and then suffered for years from chronic disease and death, it looks like the wasted ones followed the same pattern as the typical end-stage alcoholic. It depends on the choices they made over and over, and a lot on how they cope with life's problems and stresses. The ones who made it learned over time that there is a better way to live (not in a stupor), and those who didn't make it escaped into a booze bottle or other drugs like pot.

One problem with people who use pot all the time is that they really do not know how dulled their minds have become......smart, smart people I've seen become total dullards. While they think they are fine, the rest of us see they are basically useless.

One problem I have with pot being illegal is that possession or use gets one a criminal record. I think it is counter productive and wrong for a person who smoked dope and got arrested for possession/use in college to have a criminal record following them into their search for a career job. Imagine if everyone who drank alcohol (of legal-age) in college got arrested and had a criminal record now from that. Having a criminal record for getting caught possessing pot or "paraphanalia" is extreme, when many people try it and just grow up and move on.

If this Frank-Paul bill were passed (I don't think it will), what would happen to the criminal records people have for possession/use (not convictions for operating a vehicle under the influence)?