Public support for marijuana legalization has been growing. But what else is on people’s minds these days? This is important, because the legalization of marijuana requires more than widespread public support. It also has to become a priority for the political system. Maybe not the biggest priority, but politicians and legislators need to make it an action item; they have to perceive this as an issue the public not only supports but also an issue the public wants resolved.
 
You see, there are two questions that reform advocates need to address to advance the cause of legalization. First, why is the legalization of marijuana a good idea? Second, why should the public make legalization a political priority? The reform movement has made a lot of progress on the first question, but the second remains a considerable challenge.
 
There is another way of looking at this: marijuana reform will occur bit by bit at an incremental rate, a few states at a time. This view has considerable merit. After another decade or two of states adopting medical marijuana legislation and decriminalization, the passage of tax and regulation provisions in a few states, and shifting enforcement priorities by the federal government the actual nationwide legalization of marijuana may occur as the next and logical step in the evolution of reformed drug policy.
 
Maybe evolution will bring it about, or maybe not. Strategically it remains appropriate to focus on the big picture and the primary objective. Marijuana’s legalization is the objective and it should be sought as soon as possible. So that returns discussion to the two questions above.
 
What are the most important issues on people’s minds these days? Gallup polling provides useful data on this subject.
 
The most important issue right now is the economy, reported by a net 55% of those surveyed in early December 2001 and increasing to 72% in early February 2010. In the February survey 31% cited the economy in general and 31% cited unemployment as their specific concern. The federal debt and deficit was third, cited by 11%. Other issues cited but not widely held as being important were lack of money, corporate corruption, taxes, inflation, the gap between the rich and the poor, the recession, wage issues, and the price of oil.
 
Non-economic issues were cited by a net 57% of those surveyed, the same in February and last December. Here health care was the most cited issue, at 23%, followed by distrust and dissatisfaction with the government at 10%. Other issues included education, war, national security and terrorism (at 4% each), as well as immigration and poverty (at 3% each), ethics, Iraq, Afghanistan, and foreign aid (at 2% each), and a long list of other issues at 1% each.
 
The one percent issues included the environment, lack of respect for each other, racism, care for the elderly, social security, the judicial system, energy, abortion, natural disaster relief, crime/violence, children’s behavior, and lack of military defense.
 
At the bottom of the list is a group of issues that the public just doesn’t care about at all these days. Each of these topics registers less than 0.5%: unifying the country, drugs, election reform, gay rights, international issues, conflict in the Middle East, welfare, over population, the media, and gun control.
 
Drugs was a big political issue in the 1980s, but its usefulness in electing politicians has declined over the years, especially as other issues have moved into the forefront of public attention. The lack of political grandstanding over the War on Drugs has considerably improved the climate for drug policy reform. The challenge for advocates is to increase attention to marijuana legalization without increasing the popularity of anti-drug political positions and inflaming drug war rhetoric.
 
The Pew Research Center for the Public and the Press also provides revealing data on the public’s concerns in a January 2010 report. The Pew Center also reports that the economy (83%) and jobs (81%) are pressing issues for most people, and their data also indicates that terrorism remains a major concern (80%). Crime (49%) trails issues such as social security, medicare, education, deficit reduction, and health care. Reducing crime has lost some urgency over the last decade, falling from 76% in 2001. Reducing middle class taxes has also fallen in urgency from 66% in 2001 to 42% in 2010. Job creation is the big gainer over the decade, rising from 60% in 2001 to 81% in 2010.
 
Pew also provides data on the partisan gap in priorities. Health insurance for the uninsured, for example, is a top priority for 75% of Democrats, 41% of Independents, and only 26% of Republicans. On the other hand, strengthening the military is a top priority for 64% of Republicans, 42% of Independents, and only 30% of Democrats. Reducing crime is a top priority for 55% of Democrats and 46% of both Republicans and Independents. The economy, jobs, and terrorism, though, are urgent problems at the top of the list for all three groups.
 
After the three major issues of the economy, jobs, and terrorism, the top priorities for Democrats are health care, the poor, social security, and improving our educational system. For Republicans the priorities after the three major issues are social security, the budget deficit, strengthening the military, and improving our educational system. The budget deficit, education, and social security are also vital issues to Independents.
 
Is marijuana legalization ever going to track as one of the top five issues for any of these groups? Probably not. That’s just the reality of the political landscape. Many individuals are sympathetic to the case for marijuana’s legalization, but they also have more important issues on their mind.
 
One of the most important arguments for marijuana’s legalization is that this reform will improve our nation’s capacity and ability to address our most important issues and challenges. Marijuana prohibition is a waste of money, time, and resources that can be better devoted to more serious and more important problems.
 
Legalization is a better way to address and reduce the problem of teenage access to marijuana, and it is also a better way to reduce the fiscal costs of marijuana control. Reducing the costs of marijuana control is a key element in attacking other important public policy challenges facing our country. This is why marijuana legalization should be more of a priority for politicians, legislators, and opinion leaders in the United States.
 
Legalization advocates attempt to address the challenge of making reform relevant to the general public. They’ve done a good job in the past, but the challenge remains a formidable one both now and in the future. For legalization to succeed, it must continually be made relevant to the public’s concerns. The economy, jobs, and terrorism are the most pressing issues for 2010. Arguments for marijuana’s legalization should recognize and address the importance of these issues.