I posted an item a couple of weeks back about drug violence in Mexico and the responsibility of pot-smoking Americans to do something about it. I received a lot of good feedback, including from proponents of marijuana legalization in the U.S.

The Washington-based Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA) published an interesting paper today on legalization that it is worth reading.  It has lots of good arguments, but I still cannot imagine a realistic legalization scenario here, nor do I yet think it’s a good idea.

The effective prohibition of tobacco seems more realistic, frankly.  If anything, that seems to be the direction in which the US is headed, with the banning of smoking in public parks and private residences. In the conclusion of its paper on legalization, the left-leaning COHA winks at that idea, writing:  “Freedom is at issue here as well: U.S. citizens are being deprived the right to use a substance that is less harmful and has higher potential for responsible use than its legal counterparts.”

Wouldn’t it be ironic if marijuana is eventually legalized in America, and tobacco is outlawed? You can almost see it…