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SAFER Central #1

Killing the Prohibition Weed

Mon, Jan 28, 2008 5:09 pm


By Mason Tvert

Marijuana prohibition is not just about weed. It is a weed.

It’s a weed that sprouted more than 75 years ago and spread state to state, enveloping the entire nation as poison ivy would a garden.

In the past 30 years, some branches of the weed have been trimmed down or lopped off in the form of positive legislation or policy changes. For example, a handful of state legislatures decriminalized marijuana in the 1970s, and in the past decade or so we have seen a number of states adopt laws permitting the use of medical marijuana. This is not to mention the growing number of cities that have passed a wide variety of local measures.

But despite such constant pruning efforts of legislators and activists, the prohibition weed remains alive.

Consider for example that annual U.S. marijuana arrests reached an all-time high once again in 2006, and federal legislation that would protect medical marijuana patients from DEA raids and prosecution has continually failed, gaining just a little ground each year despite widespread public support. In fact, anti-prohibition forces are actually losing ground in some parts of the country. In Ohio – a decriminalization state -- the Cincinnati City Council recently “recriminalized” possession of small amounts of marijuana, and a similarly needless “recrim” effort is now underway in Nebraska.

If we wish to stem such growth of the prohibition weed, we must treat it like any other weed. We must kill it. And, like killing any weed, this means we must attack it at its root.

First, we must identify that root. Sure, racism against Hispanics and blacks played a large role in the establishment and growth of prohibition. So did political and economic opportunism by people in power trying to appear tough on crime and corner certain industries.

But in the end, all of the stories about marijuana making black men rape white women and the “gateway drug” rhetoric boil down to one underlying principle: the perception of harm. Marijuana became illegal and has remained that way because the general public simply believes it is just too dangerous to allow its use.

Many reformers and activists recognize this root and have argued for years that marijuana is relatively safe compared to other widely used – and legal – drugs like alcohol and tobacco. But far too often marijuana reform supporters stray toward arguments that do not take this perception of harm head-on.

For example, we point out that enforcing marijuana laws is a poor use of law enforcement resources or that using marijuana is a civil liberty. These are obviously valid arguments, but how do they change the minds of those who think marijuana is so dangerous it must remain prohibited? After all, if an individual currently thinks marijuana should be completely illegal, then by nature they do not agree it is a waste of resources to enforce these laws, and they certainly will not agree that marijuana use is an essential freedom.


Thus, if we want these people to change their positions – or at least become less hostile to reform – we must first educate them that marijuana is actually not so harmful. Once they acknowledge this fact, they will be far more likely to agree with us that enforcement is a waste of resources, that people’s rights are being needlessly trampled, and so on.

Just like with a weed, if we fail to attack marijuana prohibition at its root, it will never die. We can trim it up and make it appear less unsightly by changing laws and policies here and there. But in the end, it will remain alive and pervasive until we yank it out of the ground, roots and all, and prevent it from ever rearing its ugly head again.

Mason Tvert is the executive director of Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER). Find out more and contact SAFER at: www.saferchoice.org


» add a comment

not so happy in ohio

Mar 8 2008, 9:03 am

man i read articles like this and want to cheer and clap but until something happens (prolly something drastic) i dont think ill live long enough to see change with m.j. in the US. The gov. here is not for the people(like they claim) its a damn business and they dont care about m.j. one bit because illegal or not they are making $$.

i just wish articles like this 1 found their way into more "popular" papers.mags,tv...then maybe at least a few people might open their eyes.

Pig_McFuckington

Mar 3 2008, 3:54 pm

hey,
if you've seen the propaganda film "super size me," then you would agree with me when i say McDonalds is way more harmfull to your heath then illeged plant. still, more americans against legalization are eating at this resteraunt everyday. i say we petition the prohibnition of Mcdonalds and other fast food joints untill they legalize herb.
-Mr. Mcfuckington
myspace.com/bassist_jerk

Ty_man

Mar 2 2008, 9:00 pm

This article is so right I agree with all aspects of it. We do need to speak out about the right to smoke our bud. lol An dang I cant wait to stop getting put on Probation for smoken a little green....:) So everybody get out there an smoke with a friend....
~~~~~~~Peace~~~~~~

WEED_Junkie4U

Mar 2 2008, 3:16 pm

1f y0u 3v3r w4nt t0 2m0k3 1n p34c3, st4nd u9 4nd 24y "g1v3 u2 w33d!"

Jenna_Is_My_Bitch

Mar 2 2008, 3:06 pm

We need to make it clear how much of s silent majority weed smokers are. Everywhere I work and live, there are people that smoke everywhere. We just need to make our selves truly heard.

BruceWeed

Mar 2 2008, 3:03 pm

What the hell is happening to our country? Reading this article makes me feel more unsafe than terrorist plots.

Eggbert420

Mar 2 2008, 2:58 pm

Police brutality is bullshit and it needs to stop now. We need to do more than just legislate decrim for weed, we also need to make it clear that the public ain't gonna take this police brutality shit any longer.

dbmonk

Feb 27 2008, 12:25 pm

suggs4drugs; the government loses tons money funding the anti drug movement. if it were legal they could tax marijuana and make so much revenue they wouldn't know what to do with. the fact is do your research before you bash somebody in a forum. also go back to school for grammar and proper word usage.

N/A

Feb 25 2008, 9:12 pm

To: suggs4Drugs

Hey man we are all in this together, you should not be bringing people down that are just stating their opinion, especially an opinion that supports what we all want. You should be nicer and more respectful to your fellow brothers.

Suggs4Drugs

Feb 24 2008, 9:35 pm

TO:WFT.
You are a fuckign idiot. We all know this. Its all politics, you think the Gov. gives a shit about people? Fuck know, its all about making money, and the fact is, the Government makes more money of it being illegal than legal. Fucking Dipshit.

WFT

Feb 23 2008, 9:16 am

Maybe we should take a look at how alcohol was legalized. In a side by side comparison alcohol against Marijuana. Anyone can see that alcohol causes so much damage and death that it can not even be compared with pot! How many people do you know that die from pot? NONE! How many people do you know that have either died or got hurt from alcohol? SEVERAL!

Alcohol hands down is ten times the devil pot could ever think of being!

Suggs4Drugs

Feb 21 2008, 10:16 pm

As much as I hate to say it.
I have to agree with Whipp.
We lost nearly a decade ago.
Maybe we just need to except it now...

Whipp

Feb 16 2008, 10:09 am

we'll never win.. its us avg joes against rich old white protestants.. were doomed! now im not being racist cuz im white.. but the government heads r jus too fuckin stiff to open up there eyes to a new vision.. all of em live with blinders on and are unknowingly brainwashed from the freemasons above them. sry fellow stoners..

RonPaul2008

Feb 10 2008, 12:03 pm

What we need is more grassroots support and local support groups,after joining in on the ron paul campaign i saw hoe effective grassroots support is.So just find other local stoners and go to www.meetup.com start a meetup group mayby do some sign waving,hand out pamplets get petitions to decriminalize marijuana in your community,marijuana will never become legal if us stoners just sit back and hope groups like NORML and SAFER do the work for us,We need to Over Grow The Goverment!

mad mike

Feb 2 2008, 6:07 pm

for enyone out ther that think's that marijuana is harmful thay need to smoke a nug or to and take it from there and i think that they will see that legalization is not so bad after all so roll that up and smoke it

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