Staff at LP blog:
Mainstream America may be catching up with the Libertarian Party on the issue of ending drug prohibition.
Also, on November 15, the Cato Institute is holding a conference titled "Ending the Global War on Drugs."
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Sorry, that’s http://regulatemarijuanalikewine.com/ Wrong link.
http://rmlwa2012.com
Please donate today to get a real marijuana initiative on the ballot. The rest are just pretenders.
Don Wills is just being a sourpuss.
Alaska did (sort of) legalize small amounts for personal possession, but it has gone back and forth with the courts and the legislature.
We are gaining in opinion polls and have close to a majority in some states.
Medical does open the door for recreational to be considered more seriously by some.
Legalization of other substances, while not yet popular, is a more respectable opinion among many than it used to be.
Some time ago I spent a lot of time studying the world history of prohibition. Many substances have been prohibited in many countries at one time or another, including coffee, alcohol and tobacco. These prohibitions always get repealed, it’s just a matter of how long it takes.
“That means recreational legalization will happen in some states soon.”
I’ve heard that same refrain now for 35 years. Time will tell. I do recall Alaska was to be the vanguard of the movement…back in 1976! Not much has changed since then.
You have anecdotal evidence that some people use the medical excuse to use recreationally.
Not that I have anything against that – it should be legal recreationally.
Vast majority? I don’t think you provided any evidence of that. Some people use every kind of mood altering prescription medicine recreationally, but that does not mean it is a scam or not medicine.
If it wasn’t a scam, it would be sold at Walgreen’s by the pharmacist.
That can’t happen due to the laws.
Just because medical marijuana is legal does not mean it is not tightly regulated; it is.
Where it is sold has nothing to do with being a scam, it is mandated by law.
More importantly, very little has changed during that last 40 years for recreational use of mj
About 1% gain per year and well into the 40%s approval in some states. That means recreational legalization will happen in some states soon. California probably would have had it last year with a better written bill.
Of course medical marijuana is a scam to facilitate recreational use. Yes, some chemotherapy patients and some who have MS do get to take it now for their conditions. However, the vast majority of mm users are recreational users. Period. mm is a scam.
—
Here’s the first paragraph of a recent article published at The Weed Street Journal –
“The Challenge of Selling Marijuana Legally in Colorado
Posted on Sep 20, 2011 at 8:18 pm
I have in front of me 14 grams of Lemon Skunk. It’s amazing. The flavor, the smell, and the anticipated high; everything about this bud is amazing. What follows is an account of this bud’s journey from plant clone to my bowl…”
—
Is that how folks talk about their medicines? Of course not. That’s how they talk about recreational intoxicants. If it wasn’t a scam, it would be sold at Walgreen’s by the pharmacist.
More importantly, very little has changed during that last 40 years for recreational use of mj as well as for all other drugs. So, in answer to the original question, “Is drug legalization going mainstream?”, most citizens would answer as I did.
Medical marijuana is no scam, and is far from losing steam.
Recreational legalization of marijuana is gaining about 1% in the polls every year and is well into the 40s now in leading states.
“Is drug legalization going mainstream?”
In a word, no.
40 years after Nixon announced the War on Drugs, not much has changed. The medical marijuana scam (my back hurts!) is losing steam. Nothing else has changed in 40 years except that sentences for offenders and users have continued to get longer and longer. The prison industry loves it!
The only possibility for change is if the Mexican government is overthrown by the drug gangs. However, that probably won’t happen as it’s not in the best interests of the Mexican producers because it would destroy their huge profits. So I doubt anything will change significantly for at least the next decade.
I’m wondering when LP candidates will catch up to the LP and mainstream America on this issue.
I’m guessing it won’t be until hot button issues like tax cuts for millionaires and light bulbs become stale.
While I’d like to take Cato conferences and online petitions as important indicators of progress, I can’t in honesty do so.
There are some other signs of progress however, especially as far as marijuana. I think a state level adult recreational use measure may well pass in 2012 or 2014, and medical measures will continue to pass in more states.
We’re probably still at least a few years from ending federal marijuana prohibition, but I believe it will happen eventually.
Other substances will probably take longer.