Making marijuana legal would allow the government to tax and regulate its production. Instead of wasting money on enforcement of the current laws, the Australian government would actually gain money through legalising marijuana. More importantly, it would have the ability to control growing conditions and ensure that the product is safe for consumption and be tested for pesticides and other harmful substances it may contain. Australian citizens use marijuana every day. Many of them are in every other way law abiding citizens. Protect the freedom and health of Australian citizens. Demand that our country legalise marijuana. It is time to form together as the people of this country and demand this to go forward, if we can spread this petition and get enough signatures we can bring it to the attention of the Australian government after all of these years of trying, let's actually do it! The illegal import of drugs is a multi-billion dollar a year industry, all of the profit going to criminals, killers, and dangerous organizations. If marijuana were legalized and regulated, the marijuana black market would be entirely eliminated and the immense expenditure on both the war on drugs and the sale of drugs could be turned to far more practical applications. In an ideal world, marijuana would be taxed and regulated much like alcohol and tobacco are today. It would be produced in many forms including pre-rolled cigarettes and food products which could be consumed responsibly by citizens within the law. The sale legal sale of marijuana would be a significant financial boon both to private citizens who choose to enter the industry and the government who can, and should, tax the use of the drug heavily. The taxes generated by legal marijuana sale would be more than enough to fully fund a thorough and expansive drug treatment program, helping those who wish to quit (marijuana and other illegal drugs) and rendering aid to those who need it. The money saved on police budgeting from the war on drugs could also be more wisely spent, allowing police to focus on gangs, violence, organized crime, and the prosecution of dangerous, violent criminals. The city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands is viewed as an overly-progressive, lazy, sin-drenched city by the opposition, however nothing could be further from the truth. The standard of living is very high, legitimate business including coffee shops where marijuana is sold and consumed account for a strong economy, and the crime and murder rate is one of the lowest in the world. In short, marijuana has been legal and regulated there for many years and the walls have not burned down. The regulation of marijuana also allows for many health benefits to those who use it. Today, marijuana is illegal, so there is no regulation of what the drug contains. Unwary buyers of the drug often get more than they bargain for when marijuana is laced with other drugs and other harmful additives. If it were legalized, not only would this harmful practice never occur, but the products themselves could be heavily regulated for health concerns including filtering, and specialized growing and manufacturing. Packages of the legal product would be emblazoned with warnings from the surgeon general describing the health risks involved.