Ok, Ok, Ok.. I've glanced through the thread, gotten the gist of it.
housecat, your views are honorable, if not a bit naive...
However, you must understand that often in order for things to change, people must break the law. I mean... If nobody was smoking pot, obviously.. it wouldn't be an issue.
The only way the law will ever change is if we, the "pro-pot" people.. smoke our pipes and stand up for what we believe in.
While I agree it's not exactly the most pressing issue in and of itself, the drug war is indeed a very serious issue, because it ties in with some of the other things you mention .. failing education, etc.. Money.
We waste so much of it. And for what? Nothing. Is the United States
REALLY a better place because of the drug war? I bet if you did some research, the answer would be no. What has changed? The people who are going to use drugs, are going to use drugs. You cannot stop them, except by locking them up. Is that right? Is it moral to take someomes freedom away because they are hurting themselves? If you educate people with truth(ie, not bullsh!t like DARE), and let them make their own decisions.. you are much more likely to end up with the desired results. Has drug use gone down since the drug war was initiated?
Are drugs a problem in The Netherlands? No. No more than they are here. What does that tell you?
Drugs are worth more now than they ever have been. Why? Because they are illegal.
This makes it just that much more worth-it for people to become drug dealers. It makes users commit crimes to get their fix because the drugs are so expensive.
Do you believe that alcohol should be illegal too? If not, what the fsck is wrong with you? If you do, I applaud you for consistency.. But I do not believe that being able to alter your state of consciousness is a bad thing, and I certainly do not believe that it should be against the law.
I'd probably get higher standing around at a gas station than I would smoking a bowl.

And I don't even want to talk about drunks.
Geesh. If you want to stop drug use, you have to stop people from
wanting to do drugs. This leads to the question.. what causes the need for drug use? Hint: It's not the drug. Whatever happened to personal responsibility, anyway?