The Time Is Now

The legalization of cannabis is about a lot more than meets the eye. The issues at stake here encompass personal freedom, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The 1st amendment states that we are not only free in our homes but in our persons (that is, our bodies and what we choose to put in them and how.) If we are indeed free in our persons, then every single person who has been incarcerated for the simple act of using this herb has been falsely arrested and imprisoned. Yes, current law states they have committed an infraction, but common sense alone states that they have not actually done anything wrong. That means the police officers who arrest these people are guilty of false arrest. It also means that every person who has been fined for marijuana use has been the victim of both theft and extortion. The police unions who lobby so heavily on behalf of criminalization and maintaining the status quo are not doing so out of any concern for the people they claim to serve and protect. They are not acting out of benevolence or because they have any love for the society they live in. The war on drugs puts money in their pockets. Can you imagine how many fewer arrests and incarcerations there would be in the United States if cannabis were legalized and regulated? It’s not a far fetched assumption that many law enforcement officials would lose their jobs. The need for prison space would drop dramatically. The federal government would not be dumping nearly as much money into local and state law enforcement narcotics divisions. The war on drugs is no such thing. It is a war on drug users. Our opponents claim that marijuana leads to the destruction of families. Where is their concern for the families of men and women who are languishing in jail cells for doing nothing more than using an herb that anyone can easily grow? Everyone must stand and fight this now. We have gone on too long like this and it’s only getting worse. Instead of building more schools, we are closing schools and building prisons. Instead of preventing actual violent crimes, our police are paid to ruin the lives of peaceful people for breaking laws that make no sense on their face. 420. It isn’t just a number. It is a symbol and a mantra that everyone who believes in personal freedom must take up.