Legalize It!

When do we finally legalize marijuana? I think soon. It used to be legal in this country from whenever it first started being used, probably the early 17th century, until the early 19th century. By the 1930’s it was completely illegal. Almost 80 years later it’s returning to being legal, but we’ve still got a long way to go.

It’s a plant! The idea that the government can tell us what plants to grow strikes me as outside the purview of government. Maybe I can get some Republicans to agree with me on this on the basis of limiting big government. In any event, governments are beginning to pass laws recognize the rights of plants and animals, and I think it’s high time, as it were, that we do the same. Plants and powders are not the same thing. Let’s let people and plants coexist!

But the main reason to legalize pot is that keeping it illegal is feeding a horrible war with the mafia that we are losing every day and will continue to lose. So many innocent people are being killed, and terrorism is beginning to flourish on our borders. I know people had their reasons to oppose Prop 19, but this is a real sick thing that is happening, and the war is just going to get closer and closer until we're in it. We have to own up to our own natures, and certainly not criminalize acting on needs that, even at their worst, amount to sadness, lack of love or loneliness. Prohibition does not work. Transparency and compassion do.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101104/wl_nm/us_mexico_usa_drugs

I know that many who opposed Prop 19 were persuaded that it wouldn't cut into cartel profits because of the other drugs they traffic in. I disagree. Others erroneously pointed out that the Feds wouldn't allow California to do this. Come on. With the present administration, the DEA would not be encouraged to mix it up here. Then of course, some of our friends up Humboldt way were afraid of upsetting the status quo and losing their illegal income, and I don't blame them, but the only way to change the ridiculous and archaic pot prohibition is with baby steps like prop 19.

Conservatives must have been in a quandary over this one. Fiscal conservatives would have to have known that it would have brought a new agri-business into the legitimate market place and provided a built-in tax base (meaning, it would help to mitigate the need to raise other taxes.) But cultural conservatives see drugs as drugs and many make no distinction between the occasional toker and a heroin addict of 20 years. The growers would not have lost much business, if any at all. Prop 19 allowed for small quantity growing and possession. Most smokers do not want to be saddled with the meticulously demanding task of growing. And Prop 19 did NOT allow for people to grow pot for sale except for medical marijuana growers. I think it was a mistake for the backers of Prop 19 to introduce it in a mid-term election when the turn-out of likely voters in support of legal pot would be lower than during a presidential election year.

Anyway, my suggestion: Try again in two years. I bet the result is different. Indeed, maybe it's good Jerry Brown doesn't have to deal with this on his plate on top of everything else. He could really show himself a consensus builder now. Legal pot is going to be a huge public mess, and it can't help but tarnish the credentials of the guy in charge. And if that guy is governor moonbeam, even worse. Anyway, the above is my two cents, and after this election, I think everybody now knows it's a question of when.