It’s Time To Legalize!

Prohibition of alcohol began with the 18th amendment to the constitution in 1920. It was such a disaster that it was repealed in 1933 with the 21st amendment. Learning nothing from that first mistake, the Roosevelt administration, In 1937, crafted the Marijuana Tax Act, making cannabis possession illegal via an unpayable tax on the drug. In the 1960’s marijuana use soared when it became the drug of choice of the hippie-era counter-culture. So it was further criminalized under the federal Controlled Substances Act of 1970 which classified it as a Schedule I drug, implying that it had a high potential for abuse. As such, the possession, usage, purchase, sale, and/or cultivation of marijuana is prohibited to this day.

Anyone who has used marijuana for any length of time knows that it is far less dangerous and less addictive than alcohol. In addition it has many health benefits. So why is a martini perfectly legal and acceptable but a joint can get you a prison sentence? There is no logical answer for this. Opponents of legalization don’t deal in logic. They’re against it and that is that. PROponents know that it would take billions of dollars out of the hands of Mexican drug cartels and pump it into cash-strapped state and local governments, create badly needed jobs here in America, put an end to work-place testing and firing of marijuana users, sever the association between users and the illegal dealers who sell all kinds of other drugs, reduce the prison population and allow the criminal justice system to concentrate on convicting real criminals. People are going to use marijuana whether its legal or not, so why not reap all the benefits of legalization?

On November 2nd, the citizens of California will have the opportunity to be the first to legalize marijuana for adult use under Proposition 19. There’s an old adage that says: “As California goes, so goes the nation.” Prop 19 should pass and the rest of the nation should follow suit. Ending this double standard between alcohol and marijuana is the right thing to do. Prohibition didn’t work ninety years ago and it’s not working now. I hope to be reporting the passage of Prop 19 on November 3rd.