I’m now a registered republican so I can vote for Ron Paul in the Oregon primaries. I’m not saying I’ll vote for him if he gets the nomination (so no political commentary, please), but I think he would bring issues up that too few Americans are considering. The drug war is by far the biggest issue that needs to move into the spotlight.
People throughout the world need to ask themselves:
- Why is it we make an addict’s compulsion illegal instead of treating the problem properly?
- Why not spend our money treating people instead of putting them in jail?
- Why not regulate the supply of dangerous drugs, like we do with alcohol and tobacco?
- Meth would never be as dangerous as it is without prohibition — it’s being made in more dangerous ways each time we shut one down
- Look at the dangers of K2, or “fake pot” some time. That has actual dangers associated with it, and would not exist if pot were legalized — it was created to legally get a pot-like high!
- Why not sell and tax the drugs like we do alcohol and cigarettes?
Sure, we need gargantuan warning signs, and perhaps even regular consultations for people who voluntarily choose heroin and the like. Yes, we need safeguards in place. But there is absolutely nothing good about prohibiting drugs. Ron Paul has the balls to say this to the American people. None of the other candidates does (though Gary Johnson would at least talk about cannabis). Whether the people like what they hear or not, they will hear it if Paul gets the nomination. Some of them will have no choice but to consider it. Some people will convert, because enough thought on the matter and we realize prohibition is just wrong, period.
I know it’s tough to consider legalizing all drugs, but everybody should at least think it through. In the end, cannabis is really the one we need to get off the controlled substances act to help kids like Alex. Decriminalizing the rest would, in my opinion, help the country and help countless addicts, but they are not my priority right now. If cannabis gets to Alex regularly, I’ll change my focus.