My last article written was about staying away from believing marijuana legalization is inevitable, as that kind of thinking will only stall legalization efforts. However, I do not think it is crazy to think that marijuana legalization is highly probable and may be approaching quickly. So with that in mind, what will you be doing? What will be your next crusade? Or will you just be done with activism altogether?
Even though for marketing reasons marijuana reformers have taken the point of “marijuana is safer than alcohol,” I still think the heart and soul of marijuana reform is “it is your body.” Marijuana reform is centered along the ‘incredibly radical’ idea that we own our own bodies and we should do with them as we choose. With that in mind, why would you stop at marijuana reform?
Even though marijuana is not a gateway substance to other drugs, marijuana reform should be your gateway to ending the Drug War completely. This is something that actually keeps me up at night. After the marijuana reform movement has succeeded, will the slogan “end the Drug War” die out with it? Will people believe that ending the prohibition of marijuana is an end to the Drug War?
I sure hope not! While marijuana prohibition may be a huge part of the Drug War, it is certainly not the whole thing. And now is the time to start pushing for a total end of the Drug War.
Cocaine, crack, heroin, and meth may not be all as appealing as marijuana reform, but they are all just as important. Of course the marketing needs to be different and truthful. We can’t just paint over our weed banners so they say “Heroine is safer than alcohol!” Because that is clearly not the reason these drugs should be legal. Not to mention, drug reform is all about honest drug portrayal and information.
No matter how dangerous the drug is, it still is not the job of the government to protect me from myself. No matter how dangerous the drug is, it is still nonsensical to create a black market of violence and murder. No matter how dangerous the drug is, truthful drug information is still important.
So, why not start educating yourself now for the next big push against the Drug War?
