Pubdate: Tue, 07 Apr 2015
Source: Link, The (CN QU Edu)
Copyright: 2015 The Link
Contact:  http://www.thelinknewspaper.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2694
Author: Gonzo Nieto

PRIORITIZE CANNABIS LEGALIZATION!

In a recent interview with VICE founder Shane Smith, President Obama 
was asked about his thoughts on legalizing marijuana, which was one 
of the most popular viewer-submitted topics for the interview.

"It shouldn't be young people's biggest priority," he dictated. "I 
understand this is important to you, but you should be thinking about 
climate change, the economy, jobs, war and peace. Maybe way at the 
bottom you should be thinking about marijuana." But people's interest 
in his answer to this question isn't about their political priorities.

Rather, it stems from the fact that the US is in a state of cognitive 
dissonance with regards to cannabis. Some states are still enforcing 
criminal laws and incarcerating people for possession and 
trafficking, while other states are regulating and taxing its sale 
just like alcohol. That, and the general feeling that legalization is 
inevitable given the present situation and its momentum, leads one to 
plead: why can he not just say it already?

Certainly, there have been improvements from the president himself, 
as he recently granted clemency to 22 federal prisoners doing time 
for nonviolent drug offenses. But that's a drop in the bucket with 
respect to the number of people currently behind bars for nonviolent 
drug charges. With a little more effort I don't see why that number 
couldn't have been more like 2000 pardons granted.

It sure would be lovely to remind President Obama that legalization 
and drug policy reform have everything to do with the economy, jobs, 
war and peace. They're interconnected issues, not separate ones. 
Regulating and taxing cannabis brings significant economic benefits, 
no question about it. What you're essentially doing when you legalize 
and regulate is funneling into the economy millions or billions of 
dollars which are currently circulating in an unregulated black market.

Case in point: Colorado raised $50 million in taxes after selling 
$700 million worth of medical and recreational cannabis in the first 
year of legalization. Certainly, people were still buying pot before 
legalization, but now it can be taxed to contribute to schools and 
other public services, and its quality can be well-regulated.

These same measures of legalization and regulation also create jobs. 
An entirely new industry sprouts up, with supply chains and cannabis 
clubs and lounges to be staffed. With regards to war, the "War on 
Drugs" has really been a war on some people who use some drugs. Obama 
himself recognized that drug war policy not only hands out 
disproportionate sentences, but has also disproportionately affected 
communities of colour, rendering many people unemployable due to 
criminal records.

In 2012 alone 660,000 Americans were arrested for possessing small 
amounts of cannabis, a plant whose general safety we're well beyond 
establishing. This has indeed been a war on drug users waged for 
decades with devastating results for communities. Drug war policies 
also directly affect war and peace in other countries. To give just 
one example, the drug gangs in Central and South American countries, 
and the resulting violence and deaths, are enabled by the black 
market whose demand they supply.

Despite what Obama thinks we should be prioritizing, cannabis 
legalization is gaining momentum and making quick progress. 
Successful legalization in Colorado has been followed by Oregon, 
Washington D.C. and Alaska, with more states surely to follow. In 
Canada, cannabis legalization seems poised to be an issue in the next 
federal election. Countries around the world have been adopting 
smarter drug laws, and a UN General Assembly Special Session on drugs 
in 2016 may finally change the direction of international drug policy 
away from criminalization and toward regulation and health-based approaches.

In conclusion, cannabis legalization is a movement with relevance to 
all the things Obama says we should be prioritizing. And because of 
the socio-cultural momentum of the time we're living in, it's a 
movement to which passionate and motivated people can readily 
contribute and see tangible progress. It's rewarding. Make it a priority!
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom