Yes We Cannibus

The marijuana laws of the United States are extremely complicated jurisdictionally and by categorization. It's time to put an end to that.

The Trump Administration's Justice Department under the leadership of Jeff Sessions has just rolled back the Obama Administration's policy of essentially not prosecuting marijuana growers and sellers in states where recreational use is legal and those businesses are in compliance with their state laws and not suspected of involvement with criminal enterprises triggering federal investigation. Neither Trump or Sessions have said they are in fact going after those legal merchants for violating federal law and no directives to do so have been issued to U.S. Attorneys. Sessions is a longtime opponent of marijuana legalization and Trump is a wild card who will do anything to divert attention away from his own whackiness and potential meltdown.

Do not succumb to the belief that the Obama Administration was pro marijuana because of their Justice Department stance, they weren't. They simply took a wait and see attitude while preserving their ability to sweep in with a heavy hand and start prosecuting people. That cloud of uncertainty has hung over those merchants from the beginning and it's a cloud they don't want to inhale.

Under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 marijuana is classified by the Federal Government as a schedule 1 substance with a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. This language remains intact in spite of the fact we know it isn't true. Twenty-nine States plus Guam, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia permit the use of medical marijuana with the direction of a physician but with varying specified uses depending on the individual State's guidelines. There are also degrees of decriminalization in some states. Confused? You should be.

Eight States have fully legalized marijuana, meaning recreational use. Guess what? The sky hasn't fallen in and the Republic is strong, except for the Trump thing.

As an opinion writer it would be unfair of me not to share my personal view with you and let's face it, that's why you're here. I have always believed that all fifty states should have legal medical marijuana and that it should be decriminalized both at the state and federal level, essentially making it on par with a speeding ticket. We don't need to put pot smokers in jail or rehab. It has been the most abused chargeable criminal offense in modern history. In 1979 a Great Uncle that I was very fond of was dying a hideous painful death from cancer. After the specialists were done poisoning and abusing his body they basically sent him home to die. My Great Uncle asked his doctor, "what do I do now?" His doctor responded, "if I were you I'd get a bag of pot, it'll ease your pain and get rid of your constant nausea." My Great Uncle didn't do that of course because he was a law abiding citizen. So he died contorted with pain. As to the recreational user, I've known a number of them throughout my life and they were mostly not what some people expect. They were what conservatives like Sessions would call respectable society contributing good folks, highly educated highly paid professionals who just happened to like getting high.

I've never smoked marijuana, which for some reason most people don't believe but it's true. I have no interest nor would I start smoking it if it were suddenly legal.The statistics show that where it's legal there is no sudden increase in users, it's being purchased by the same people who were buying it before. But, if I develop a painful disease I want to legally buy pot which is a far better pain killer than opiods and it's safer. It's practical medical benefits are numerous and everyone should have access without fear of jail. My position now is that marijuana should be legal federally and in all fifty states and territories.

Tax it and regulate it. If It's medically prescribed it should be exempt from sales tax just like all medicines. For those that are worried about organized crime, what about it? Federal and state law enforcement know exactly who the drug lords are and how to go after them. The laws of commercial trade in this country are enough to send drug lords screaming in terror. If you're not in compliance with Federal and state licensing you would be subject to criminal prosecution. Problem solved.

The strongest argument made by those who oppose legalization is that it is a gateway drug. This completely ignores all of the reasons people turn to street drugs like heroin and crack. How about that opioid addiction we hear so much about now that upper middle-class families are suffering? All of those patients who were hooked on pain killers by their doctors and then cut off, would have been better off being prescribed marijuana, organically grown by a couple that look like your grandparents.

If legalization of marijuana comes to your state's ballot, vote yes. Do not succumb to the fear tactics of the puritan tyrants that want to control your every behavior and don't fall victim to the scare mongering of reefer madness.

Yes We Cannibus!