Thirteen states I believe, not ten. Double check that.

If I chose to I could grow MJ in my garden organically from a seed as easily as peas or tomatoes. If it were legalized the gov't would gain control and contaminate what is an otherwise natural plant. They would find a way to sell and manufacture it like tobacco, therefore adding chemicals and pesticides and all that other garbage that is a part of tobacco production now.

Do I believe it should be legalized? No. But, Decriminalization is absolutely necessary in my opinion.

Alcohol is more akin to Crack, Heroin or Hollywood(common and popular) drugs like vicoden, percodan, (pharmeceuticals). They are  very mentally and physically addictive. MJ is not.

Anecdotally speaking MJ's effects are no where near as strong, or mind and body altering as the others I listed. Duration is shorter, wears off quickly and does not impair motor function or control of ones body. (I speak of older people here not young kids who make it out to be more than it really is because they imagine it to be something it is not or act retarded to fit in and say they see pink elephants or something thats pure childish bologna.) MJ metabolites can stay in ones body for up to 30 days, but that does not mean the THC itself is still there just the by-products. Sort of like the weird pee smell from asparagus, even though it's digested and gone out of the body.

MJ has been in use globally since the beginning of time. It is an ancient remedy and cure. Not a laboratory created drug intended to enrich($$) the producers.

Do you know why MJ is really illegal? It's all about the Benjamins baby. Way back when Hemp was produced for everything from rope to the interior panels of cars. Some time in the early 1900's. William Randolph Hearst owned A LOT of forest land. Being in the newspaper business he realized he could make A LOT of money from timber he owned. But not with hemp, it was replenishable, easily grown and anyone could produce it. He needed to stop the competition. In comes Lammont DuPont. From Forestry, petrochemicals(oil) and solvents they realize a gold mine is at their fingertips. But paints and other things are being easily  produced from hemp, which again is simple, productive and anyone can farm. So they band together with some in gov't to turn hemp into and "EVIL' thing. To do this they must start somewhere right? Well where was MJ most used back in those days? The jazz clubs where the 'Coloreds" were. And Mexicans. Throw in Anslinger and you'll see the real deal

These men Demonized a simple plant for their own profit. That is my paraphrased write up from an article I read quite some time ago . Here is a link to the more complete story. http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html   Or search__ marijuana Hearst Dupont Anslinger__

There is a whole world out there that has been hidden for a long time regarding MJ. It's time for the world to wake up and see the truth. The fear mongering the gov't has been doing for the past many years is starting to become rubbish in the eyes of many. People who research places other than ones fabricated to feed the populace junk info will find the reality of MJ is nothing of what they thought it to be.

Btw I have not smoked MJ in over ten years but remain "true to the cause" so to speak of keeping people out of prison for its use.

Decriminalization YES, Legalization NO. There is a thick line between the two. They are two VERY different topics with regard to MJ.

see also www.norml.com