I think I’ve covered this before, but for all it’s worth, and in answer to a question asked of me this week, yes — I think marijuana should be legalized.
Not just medical marijuana, although that would be a great start. Not just “decriminalized for personal use,” which seems like a ridiculous thing to still be debating. And not just as a concession to a failed war on drugs, even though marijuana’s legalization could recoup some of the losses of a disastrous, and disastrously unjust, social experiment.
No, I think it’s wrong to let government decide that people cannot make use of a plant put here by God, a part of creation that brings significant blessing to those who use it for relief from pain and nausea and significant pleasure to those who simply enjoy it recreationally. Make it illegal for minors, prosecute people who drive or work under its influence, but leave the drug alone. Better yet, regulate and tax it, making it safer for consumers and funding some of this country’s gaping social needs.
Until it’s legal, I don’t want my sons using marijuana, and once it is, I would hope that they don’t abuse it — just like I hope they wouldn’t abuse beer, wine, and Peppermint Schnapps. But I don’t feel safer or more morally grounded because pot isn’t legal, and I’d really rather that my government focus on battling things that could harm me or whose presence calls into question the moral character of my country.