Former NDP leadership candidate Dana Larsen appears to have a thoughtful, well-considered plan to force the powers-that-be to reconsider their stance on marijuana.
It is matched by his rationale as to why this potential policy shift is a good idea.
Let’s hope these two simple facts can coincide in such a way that we can finally get one of our country’s more ridiculous laws off the books.
Legal marijuana is not a panacea for all that ails our society. It is not going to cure cancer, halt global warming or make us all just get along.
But making it legal is not going to cause life in the valley to come to a screeching — or better make that shambling — halt either.
In fact, legalized pot will probably have very little impact on life in the valley at all — unless of course you talk about the money pulled out of the underground economy and injected into the legitimate economy, the tax revenue generated to fund local public services, the police and court resources freed to target things that really threaten public safety and the emancipation of ordinary people made criminals by a simple desire to make their heads feel funny.
There is nothing particularly amazing, nor threatening about pot. It is a weed that some people smoke because they like the way it makes them feel. It can make you say and do stupid things. And if you imbibe too frequently it can lead to health and/or personal problems.
In many ways, it is reminiscent of french fries or automobiles.
Why we invest so much time and money in an ineffectual effort to stamp out its use is beyond ridiculous.
We’ve got more important fish to fry. Let’s stop denying society’s unhealthy desire for this plant. Let’s stop fighting it and let’s start using it. The benefits of that policy clearly outweigh the costs.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it.