Breaking News:Dangerous Delays: What Washington State (Re)Teaches Us About Cash and Cannabis Store Robberies [REPORT]

How Could Legalization Destroy a State That's Already Covered in Pot Plants?

I really ought to be used to it by now, but few things piss me off more than hearing our opponents claim that marijuana legalization means introducing "another intoxicant" into our society. Variations on the whole "we have enough problems with alcohol and tobacco" argument have become a favorite weapon of the anti-reform crowd, yet we've never heard any of them endorsing prohibition of beer or cigarettes.

If there were any truth to the apocalyptic anxieties of our opponents, life in California would already be a living hell. There is nothing remotely "new" about marijuana, particularly in a state that's had dispensaries for over a decade. Very few Californians are waiting for Prop 19 to pass so that they can finally get high and become a burden on society. But I think our opposition knows that. Their real fear is that nothing bad will happen and the case for the continued criminalization of cannabis could soon be rendered fraudulent for all to see.

Permission to Reprint: This article is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license.
Looking for the easiest way to join the anti-drug war movement? You've found it!

Short & sweet

Keep spreading the word with short & sweet articles like this. It's a pleasure to see such concise information made available to any Americans who still remain confused by prohibitionist misdirection. Vote 'Yes' on Prop 19.

They have no substantive

They have no substantive legitimate arguments, so they make up plausible sounding ones to present to the large number of people who don't know better.

prohibition redux

Marijuana prohibition is alcohol prohibition redux. Most arguments to counter marijuana prohibitionist's arguments and to promote the end of marijuana prohibition can be found in that historic precedent.

The phrase,  "Why would we introduce another dangerous substance into our society?" raises my hackles as well.  It is so dishonest.

When I hear it I counter with, "Repealing alcohol prohibition did not introduce alcohol into in our society. It just stopped making illegal what was being used by millions before and during prohibition. The good news is that though marijuana is now being used by millions of citizens, it does not pose a significant threat to public safety as does alcohol."

 

Agreed, I cant stand hearing

Agreed, I cant stand hearing "but if its legal marijuana will be everywhere for our kids to use!" ... because it isn't already available everywhere, for anyone who has the cash to get a hold of?

 

People need to step out from the rock they've been living under and realize legalization is the right direction

It's been said that the

It's been said that the reason some people should not be allowed to vote is because they're almost completely ignorant about the issues and the candidates.  The same reasoning stands for marijuana.  So many of the people who are in favor of continuing prohibition are people who have never tried it for themselves to get some perspective on it.  All they have done is believe what they've been told by the government.  And if trust in government is sinking all the time, why in the world are so many people believing what the government has to say about marijuana?

Cannabis was made illegal illegally

at least fraudulently.   Like alcohol prohibition the current drug laws are cruel.

if it was then why is it so

if it was then why is it so frigging hard to get it repealed as such?

Because a prohibition racket fraudulently occupies government

That's why.

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <i> <blockquote> <p> <address> <pre> <h1> <h2> <h3> <h4> <h5> <h6> <br> <b>

More information about formatting options

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Drug War Issues

Criminal JusticeAsset Forfeiture, Collateral Sanctions (College Aid, Drug Taxes, Housing, Welfare), Court Rulings, Drug Courts, Due Process, Felony Disenfranchisement, Incarceration, Policing (2011 Drug War Killings, 2012 Drug War Killings, 2013 Drug War Killings, 2014 Drug War Killings, 2015 Drug War Killings, 2016 Drug War Killings, 2017 Drug War Killings, Arrests, Eradication, Informants, Interdiction, Lowest Priority Policies, Police Corruption, Police Raids, Profiling, Search and Seizure, SWAT/Paramilitarization, Task Forces, Undercover Work), Probation or Parole, Prosecution, Reentry/Rehabilitation, Sentencing (Alternatives to Incarceration, Clemency and Pardon, Crack/Powder Cocaine Disparity, Death Penalty, Decriminalization, Defelonization, Drug Free Zones, Mandatory Minimums, Rockefeller Drug Laws, Sentencing Guidelines)CultureArt, Celebrities, Counter-Culture, Music, Poetry/Literature, Television, TheaterDrug UseParaphernalia, Vaping, ViolenceIntersecting IssuesCollateral Sanctions (College Aid, Drug Taxes, Housing, Welfare), Violence, Border, Budgets/Taxes/Economics, Business, Civil Rights, Driving, Economics, Education (College Aid), Employment, Environment, Families, Free Speech, Gun Policy, Human Rights, Immigration, Militarization, Money Laundering, Pregnancy, Privacy (Search and Seizure, Drug Testing), Race, Religion, Science, Sports, Women's IssuesMarijuana PolicyGateway Theory, Hemp, Marijuana -- Personal Use, Marijuana Industry, Medical MarijuanaMedicineMedical Marijuana, Science of Drugs, Under-treatment of PainPublic HealthAddiction, Addiction Treatment (Science of Drugs), Drug Education, Drug Prevention, Drug-Related AIDS/HIV or Hepatitis C, Harm Reduction (Methadone & Other Opiate Maintenance, Needle Exchange, Overdose Prevention, Pill Testing, Safer Injection Sites)Source and Transit CountriesAndean Drug War, Coca, Hashish, Mexican Drug War, Opium ProductionSpecific DrugsAlcohol, Ayahuasca, Cocaine (Crack Cocaine), Ecstasy, Heroin, Ibogaine, ketamine, Khat, Kratom, Marijuana (Gateway Theory, Marijuana -- Personal Use, Medical Marijuana, Hashish), Methamphetamine, New Synthetic Drugs (Synthetic Cannabinoids, Synthetic Stimulants), Nicotine, Prescription Opiates (Fentanyl, Oxycontin), Psilocybin / Magic Mushrooms, Psychedelics (LSD, Mescaline, Peyote, Salvia Divinorum)YouthGrade School, Post-Secondary School, Raves, Secondary School