Pat Robertson comes out in favor of marijuana decriminalization

Via Thoreau at Unqualified Offerings, Christian televangelist and general asshole Pat Robertson is in favor of decriminalizing marijuana.  While just about everything that comes out of Robertson's mouth is either incoherent or wrong (and often extremely offensive), his statements about ending marijuana prohibition are surprisingly sensible:

"We're locking up people that have taken a couple puffs of marijuana and next thing you know they've got 10 years with mandatory sentences," Robertson continued. "These judges just say, they throw up their hands and say nothing we can do with these mandatory sentences. We've got to take a look at what we're considering crimes and that's one of 'em.

"I'm ... I'm not exactly for the use of drugs, don't get me wrong, but I just believe that criminalizing marijuana, criminalizing the possession of a few ounces of pot, that kinda thing it's just, it's costing us a fortune and it's ruining young people. Young people go into prisons, they go in as youths and come out as hardened criminals. That's not a good thing."

That's exactly right (except I don't know that mandatory minimums apply to simple marijuana possession anywhere in the US), and it's truly stunning for it to be coming from him.  While this certainly isn't enough to change my overall negative opinion of the guy, I sincerely hope his words motivate other conservative Christians to reconsider their own opinions on drug policy.