One of the other effects of pot is a tendency to non-violence. Why would the government want a bunch of happy, non-violent people?

There is a common misconception that legalising drugs would make the problem even larger. The fact is, when you decriminalise drugs, what you get is an overall improvement in more then one aspect of the "drug problem". You get people off the streets committing crimes, and get them into a program where they can maintain their habit and hold a job. And possibly becoming a productive tax paying member of society. Of course that won't occur in 100% of the cases, but it would for a large portion. I speaking about the harder drugs out there, not pot. Pot is less harmful physically, psychologically, and for society then alcohol is. There is no tar or nicotine in pot, and it is not thought to cause cancer. If anything, it is thought to slow the growth of some cancers. Marijuana should be legalised tomorrow. One of the major things standing in the way of that, is the alcohol, cigarette, and pharmaceutical lobbies.