Eight years ago this month I commented that “I would not be surprised to see the US government legalize marijuana within the next five years.” That conclusion came upon my consideration of the then 64 percent nationwide support for legalization among Americans who had been recently polled by Gallup, plus — for the first time — majority support among Republicans.
Tag: marijuana legalization
A newly reported on March of 1973 recording of a private conversation of then President Richard Nixon with some of his executive branch aides includes Nixon commenting that marijuana is “not particularly dangerous.” He also stated that penalties related to marijuana should be evaluated to make sure they are not too harsh. Nixon, as an example, described as “wrong” a Texas 10 year prison term for a marijuana offence.
Politico reported Monday that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has started the Florida Freedom Fund. That news by itself sounds promising considering DeSantis has taken significant action in the state to advance freedom, including resisting the imposing of coronavirus crackdown measures much more than did most governors. In his May of 2023 “Prescribe Freedom” speech during his run for the Republican presidential election, DeSantis highlighted this record and his opposition to implementation of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in an effort to distinguish himself as the pro-freedom candidate in the primary contest.
Marijuana legalization is popular in America. In contrast, President Joe Biden is unpopular. No wonder efforts are being made in Biden’s reelection campaign to paint him as supportive of liberalizing marijuana policy. There is just one problem, over Biden’s three-plus years as president he has done zilch to end the United States government’s marijuana prohibition.
Back in April of 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) informed members of the United States Congress that the DEA hoped to release in the first half of that year its determination of whether marijuana should be moved from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act to another schedule. Such rescheduling could result in a curtailment of aspects of the US government’s war on marijuana. Come August of 2016, the DEA announced it had decided marijuana should be left in Schedule I — the category for which the greatest drug war restrictions and penalties apply.
In a Tuesday statewide Oklahoma election, State Question 820 that would have legalized recreational marijuana in Oklahoma was rejected when 62 percent of votes were cast against it.
United States Senate member Cory Booker (D-NJ) says Republican gains in the US Congress in the midterm election mean the lame duck session ending in January is crunch time for passing national marijuana legalization. “So it’s either now, or it might be many years from now” for legalization, concluded Booker in a post-election interview at NJ Spotlight News.
In August I wrote about marijuana legalization ballot measures that would be voted on in the November 8 election in five states — Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Here is an update on the results of those votes held on Tuesday of this week: While legalization failed to win majority approval in three of the states, it was approved in Maryland and Missouri.
Why hasn’t the United States Congress sent to President Joe Biden legislation to end the US government’s war on marijuana already? We are over four years into about two-thirds of Americans supporting marijuana legalization and majority support being reached among Republicans. Yet, the Democratic leadership in the House of Representatives and Senate keeps failing to take the steps needed for Congress to deliver legalization legislation to the president. Why?
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Wanted: Marijuana Freedom
In my May article “A Pantry Full of Marijuana,” I pined for the day when “governments across America will consider it none of their business how much marijuana people have in their homes, cars, purses, or wherever.” Such has long been the situation with legal alcohol. However, while the momentum for marijuana legalization across the Untied States remains strong, the marijuana legalization that materializes continues to have many burdensome strings attached, including limitations on how much marijuana a person can legally possess.
Over at the Future of Freedom Foundation, Laurence M. Vance presents a detailed case in support of removing the limits on the amount of marijuana people can possess. In his Tuesday article “Marijuana Legalization vs. Marijuana Freedom,” Vance argues that, while marijuana has been legalized for medical, recreational, or both medical and recreational use in much of America, the marijuana legalization falls far short of recognizing marijuana freedom because of government restrictions bound up with the legalization. In particular, Vance focuses in his article on pervasive restrictions on how much marijuana people can possess in contrast with the laissez faire approach taken toward the amount of alcohol people can possess.