Links for Monday July 20^th, 2009

• If Marijuana Is Legal, Will Addiction Rise? - Room for Debate Blog - NYTimes.com: A lot of great quotes and opinions in this piece, in particular from Norm Stamper:

  "It’s reasonable to expect a certain percentage of adults, respectful or fearful of the current prohibition, would give pot a first try if it were made legal. But, given that the U.S. is already the world’s leading per capita marijuana consumer (despite our relatively harsh penalties), it’s hard to imagine a large and lasting surge in consumption. Further, under a system of regulated legalization and taxation, the government would be in a position to offer both prevention programs and medical treatment and counseling for those currently abusing the drug. It’s even possible we’d see an actual reduction in use and abuse, just as we’ve halved tobacco consumption through public education — without a single arrest."

  I wonder if the nation is finally ready to revisit our national drug policy?

• Fox Casting for New Voice Actors For Futurama Revival After Contract Talks Break Down With Original Cast | BuzzSugar: Bad news for Futurama fans, if this proves to be true. But to be honest, I'll still watch. Futurama is Futurama, even when produced under a reduced budget. And seriously, if the actors can't get in line with the budget realities, then they shouldn't derail the project.

• Scribblenauts director: believe in the idea, move slowly - Ars Technica: This game sure does sound cool. I believe that come September, I might be poorer by $30.