4/20

I don't do drugs. I even think twice before swallowing an occasional Aleve. 

I do drink occasionally. But frankly, if I knew that I'd never have another beer -- or gin and tonic -- for the rest of my life, the effect on the totality of my happiness would be virtually nil.

On the other hand, I'm somewhat appalled that our country had to endure Prohibition for over a decade. I'm just enough of a libertarian to object to limitations on anyone's personal freedoms without a showing of some reasonable justification in terms of the public welfare.

I do think that such a justification can be shown for prohibiting use of a significant number of "recreational" drugs, just as we permit purchase of many non-narcotic drugs only by prescription. But marijuana? Certainly, studies have shown that long-term usage can result in impaired memory and cognitive abilities. But regular drinking results not only in similar problems, but also in a significant number of organic disabilities. Tobacco smoking causes well-known damage to the body -- including cancer, lung ailments, and cardiovascular disease -- and a shortening of one's life.

No one suggests that smokers and drinkers shouldn't be able to choose their own poison. And yet, the federal government and some states seemed obsessed with aggressive enforcement of often Draconian anti-marijuana laws. Surely the fact that Senators and corporate executives choose to smoke and drink, while pot is associated with young people and -- to those still living in the past -- "hippies," has no association with these differing attitudes?

What's the difference between a person driving while drunk and one driving while stoned?
The drunk runs through red lights.
The guy who's stoned stops at the stop sign and waits for it to turn green.

Old joke, but one that makes a valid point as to the relative threats to the public safety posed by the two substances.

Criminalization of pot is low on my list of problems threatening America, but I suppose irrational government regulation and misuse of police resources in general are valid concerns. I'm not particularly happy about encouraging increased use of recreational drugs -- anymore than I'd be happy about encouraging increased smoking and drinking -- but all such behaviors seem more the proper subject of education and discussions with one's physician, rather than cause for imposition of prison sentences (or even fines).

Let's free up the police to worry about more important matters, and free up the kids to find more critical issues about which to demonstrate.