Goals and Aims

My goals for the future of the marijuana prohibition/legalization debate are as follows:

1) End federal raids on state-approved medical marijuana users and providers.

2) BEGIN a rational debate about the implications of legalization for medical and recreational use of marijuana in the United States.

I say begin, and stress this, because a debate is not about two sides making an argument and an adjudicator evaluating these arguments to arrive at a decision. As a lifelong, albeit intermittent user of marijuana, a former economics and US government teacher and someone generally addicted to learning above all else, I have no sympathy for those who break the law under the influence of ANY substance. I have, however, personally smoked with judges, lawyers, teachers, doctors, etc. A far cry from four teenagers “hot-boxing” a car during a joyride through the suburbs, we smoked and pondered the possible justification for free access to tobacco. We wondered exactly why something which has NEVER been identified as having any positive medical purpose was perfectly legal, while a substance useful in the medical field and beyond is criminalized and subject to contradictory laws at the state and federal level. The most beautiful thing about America is the concept of federalism, the idea that I can move to another part of the country to find a community that fits my free lifestyle as an American. We must maintain the diversity that makes America the greatest country in the history of this planet.

Stigma is in no way productive, end the stigma and begin the discussion.

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