Editor’s note: This commentary is by Martha McSherry, of Richmond, who is a Middlebury College graduate with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry.
[T]he cannabis legalization issue is one of civil rights. The plant has been used without problems for thousands of years. Only relatively recently was it criminalized when it became apparent that certain segments of the population could be controlled by such means. The War on Drugs is, as has been frequently stated, actually a war on people. The War on Drugs has been a failure but the war on the people has not. Our criminal justice system is overloaded with those who were its targets. The rest of us are paying for it. Not only is it very expensive to maintain the services needed to wage this war, millions of lives have been adversely affected by such discrimination.
Why is it so important to continue this onslaught? What are you all afraid of?
You’re concerned that your risk of being in a traffic accident will increase if cannabis is legalized. I’d much rather be in traffic with someone who has THC in his blood than someone who has been drinking too much coffee. The amount of alcohol we accept in our drivers is much more dangerous than any amount of cannabis. The Department of Transportation has verified this.
You’re worried that you will have to cross paths with a “pothead.” Why is that a problem for you? What is a pothead and how do you recognize one? Does using cannabis automatically make you a pothead? Does every person you describe as a pothead use cannabis? Should everyone look just like you?
You’re afraid for the children. Or are you afraid of the children and what little respect children have for adults when they realize we don’t tell them the truth? Education is the answer, not criminalization. Developing brains work best without additives and those include nicotine, alcohol, sugar and cannabis. If your children don’t respect your judgement here, there’s a problem because they’ve learned not to trust you.
Declaring war on cannabis and heroin made demonizing the elements of the civil rights movement a winning strategy for Nixon’s re-election.
You’re concerned about the health of your friends and neighbors. Gimme a break! Do you rush next door to tell them they shouldn’t eat, drink or smoke as much as they do? Or that it’s time for the exercycle? Are you a better example? Have you done plenty of research to learn what you’re protecting them from? Have you read both sides of every issue? People consume drugs and excess food for all sorts of reasons and you might walk a mile or two in their shoes before passing judgement.
You’re worried that your job might be at risk. Your job most likely did not exist before the War on Drugs. You’ve become a player in the war against a certain segment of society and perhaps you should rethink your role there. I’m sure other, more productive, options exist for you.
You’re afraid that someone will convince you to try some cannabis and you will be forever hereafter hooked. Well, you might enjoy it and it might be good for you but cannabis is less addictive than coffee or sugar so that risk is minor. People who don’t do well on it don’t like it or use it.
And the correlate. You’re worried that someone will convince you to try some and you will have a mental breakdown. People who are worried should not use it. There are people who actually suffer from the conditions you’re afraid of and find cannabis to be very helpful.
You think the War on Drugs was started for some good purpose. To protect us from ourselves, perhaps? In fact, Mr. Nixon had two enemies, people of color and anti-war protesters. Declaring war on cannabis and heroin made demonizing the elements of the civil rights movement a winning strategy for his re-election.
People of color and anti-war protesters are not the enemies of the Vermont General Assembly. It is time for representatives in the Vermont House to take a deep breath, clear their minds of all the propaganda they have been subjected to, and legalize, control and regulate the cannabis market. Everyone will feel so much better.
