GETS IT HALF-RIGHT, HALF-WRONG …
The administration of U.S. president Donald Trump waded into the marijuana debate this week – signaling its support for medical marijuana but hinting at broader enforcement actions against Americans who choose to smoke pot recreationally.
The former position we view as a real blessing. The legalization of medical cannabis is (as we have repeatedly stated) a moral imperative. We have consistently supported it, and hope lawmakers in our home state of South Carolina will continue advancing legislation that will make it a reality.
Trump is clearly supportive of their efforts.
“The president understands the pain and suffering that many people go through who are facing especially terminal diseases and the comfort that some of these drugs – including medical marijuana – can bring to them,” White House spokesman Sean Spicer said this week.
Amen to that …
Unfortunately, Spicer’s next comments related to the recreational use of marijuana were utterly nonsensical.
“When you see something like the opioid addiction crisis, um, blossoming in so many states around this country – the last thing that we should be doing is encouraging people (to use marijuana recreationally),” Spicer said.
“There is still a federal law that we need to abide by,” Spicer added.
Really?
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First of all, the opioid addiction crisis in American has absolutely nothing to do with pot – and everything to do with Big Pharma (and the Dark State) wanting people to get hooked on powerful painkillers.
In fact marijuana is critical to solving the opioid addiction issue. Its legalization – for either medical or recreational purposes – would have a profound impact when it comes to stopping the spread of opioid abuse.
Anything Spicer says to the contrary is simply him talking out of his ass …. which he is unfortunately prone to do when discussing the president’s positions.
Whatever the White House says about opioid abuse, though, it doesn’t matter. The notion that the federal government should engage in the “expanded enforcement” of laws banning the use of recreational marijuana is absolutely asinine.
Since its inception in the 1970s, the federal government’s “War on Drugs” has been an unmitigated, costly (and deadly) failure – flushing more than $1.3 trillion down the drain (and counting).
It is also an imposition on individual liberty.
Are we really going to ramp up these failed, costly efforts? Wasting more taxpayer time and resources on a fight that cannot be won? Preventing law enforcement from performing their core duties? Further clogging up our court system?
Again, ridiculous …
Marijuana supporters were led to believe Trump was the best candidate in the 2016 presidential field on their issues. For his spokesman to now say “you’ll see greater enforcement” of laws banning recreational pot use is truly disappointing.
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Not that it matters, but just this week a new poll from Quinnipiac University showed that 59 percent of Americans support the legalization of recreational marijuana all across the country.
What’s the hold up? Um, “Republicans” – you know, those who pledge allegiance to the so-called party of limited government.
Among GOP voters, the Quinnipiac poll found that 61 percent opposed legalizing recreational pot compared to just 35 percent who supported it.
“Every other party, gender, education, age and racial group listed supports legalized marijuana,” Quinnipiac’s pollsters noted.
This explains the GOP’s ongoing war against pot – and it likely explains Trump’s attempts to try and have it both ways on the issue.
Some free advice for the president? Choose a side … completely … and choose wisely.
Of course there’s not much wisdom associated with this choice because it is a policy (and political) no-brainer.
Conservative base voters who supported Trump because of the border wall – and his aggressive stance against radical Islamic terror – aren’t going to abandon him for any reason, least of all him coming out in support of recreational pot. Similarly, Rust Belt moderates who supported Trump because of his promise to put American workers first on taxes and trade deals aren’t going to bail on him over the issue, either.
It’s a dog whistle to both of these groups …
On the other hand, taking a bold and aggressive position in support of the legalization of recreational marijuana would allow Trump to pick up significant (and much-needed) support from new constituencies … many of which are currently inclined to hate him.
Seriously: This is easy.
Do the right thing. Pick up a ton of political support. Oh, and in the process energize a new multi-billion dollar industry – one that’s not only capable of creating thousands of jobs but generating a ton of new revenue for his tax cuts and infrastructure proposals.
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