but the Florida Governor thinks the state's current drug laws are fine.

TALLAHASSEE - Despite a growing prison population and a shrinking budget, Gov. Charlie Crist said he doesn't support changing Florida's drug laws.

State officials estimate Florida's prisons will swell to 100,000 inmates by year's end, with about 20 percent serving sentences for nonviolent drug offenses. Each prisoner costs more than $19,000 a year to incarcerate, and at the current pace, Florida will have to build two prisons a year through 2013 to keep up.

Some lawmakers are questioning the state's strategy toward nonviolent drug offenders, who have been convicted of crimes ranging from possession to drug trafficking. But they're not likely to gain Crist's support, who acknowledges he smoked marijuana when he was younger.

"I feel that our laws are good in Florida. They were thoughtfully put in place. And I know there is a budget crunch. But I don't want to sacrifice public safety," Crist said.

A local County in my area I sarcastically call Pot(Port) St. Luice. The reports of raids on marijuana grow houses there are found regularly in the Palm Beach Post. These house, because of the way they are set up to grow pot, are often declared dangerous by local authorities and used as a justification for the resources being used to close them down. Is marijuana dangerous? Not really compared to other illegal drugs. I'm more than inclined to legalize the substance but doubt it will ever happen in my lifetime. Most politicians are too scared to try.

The drug war is getting out of control. Ordinary activities like the use of cold medicine or the possession of small plastic bags are being regulated. When it becomes a felony to carry a sandwich bag, I think we need to re-think how we're fighting crime.

The governor said his proposed budget includes $28 million for substance abuse treatment and that he thinks the state's drug laws need "balance."

No lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to decriminalize drug use. But both legislative chambers are considering measures that would release some inmates early or into work-release programs, and establish a commission to review mandatory-minimum sentencing.

Gov. Crist acknowledged in an interview with The Miami Herald that he smoked marijuana recreationally long before going into public life. But he said he's not inclined to seek any changes to the state's drug laws.

I could care less in Crist used marijuana(or if he is gay). Charlie likes to portray himself as a man of the people, or someone who thinks outside the Conservative Republican box. Too bad it doesn't extend to the antiquated drug laws here in Florida.