[MargaretR]

"We should allow a person to choose their own 'poison', if that is what they want to do."

Society's rules have changed - laudenum(an opiate) was fashionable amongst Victorian society idle housewives.

Morphine is prescribed to relieve pain legally.

Cannibis has that same effect on many chronic pain sufferers.

The pharmacutical companies are working at isolating the natural chemical which does that, in order that they can patent it and profit from it

The plant is not patentable - so that is the real reason it stays illegal.