Marijuana Legalization –
The legalization of marijuana seems to be speeding into the national consciousness and onto ballots in the United States.
One of the last people I expected to embrace this sea change is Mitch McConnell – Senate Majority Leader (Republican – Kentucky). Last week he introduced a bill to remove hemp from the controlled substances list.
Also last week, former Speaker of the House, John Boehner (Republican – Ohio), joined the advisory board of Acreage Holdings, a company that cultivates, processes and dispenses cannabis in 11 U.S. states.
And finally, today, 4/20/2018, Chuck Schumer – Senate Minority Leader (Democrat – New York), plans to introduce legislation to decriminalize marijuana on the federal level.
More food for thought:
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There is an interesting facet to this movement that I can’t seem to find data on though…
Proponents of marijuana legalization often say “Why don’t they just tax it?”…and on the surface, that seems to be a legitimate rhetorical question; there is much tax revenue to be collected, as Colorado can attest.
But I posit that it already is, in favor of illegality, predominantly at the expense, of young black men.
I think of all the jobs and budgets and systems that are predicated on the fact marijuana is illegal. The lawyers and judges and prisons and police…omg the police department budgets…that all go bye bye the moment marijuana is legalized. Which is, in large part, why it was deemed illegal in the 1930’s:
http://origins.osu.edu/article/illegalization-marijuana-brief-history TL;DR: at the end of prohibition, the huge government agency tasked with keeping the bottle out of people’s hands needed a new crusade.
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” ~ Upton Sinclair
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For those following the movement, one may also notice the lack of use of the word ‘Marijuana’, being replaced by ‘Cannabis’, which is pure marketing. The former has a negative connotation and the latter has been associated with medicine. Makes enough sense.
The thought leaders here may also consider the appearance of the advocates, often being dreadlock wielding, reggae listening, bare foot dancing hippies. This doesn’t bode well for the Bible belt, Wall Street, and generally, the Right.
A lesson from the civil rights movement in the United States suggests how you look is everything:
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Time will tell how our culture embraces the shift in jobs, as a result of the move from illegal to legal, but it is a good thing the shift is taking place. The medical benefits, the opiate pandemic, the tax revenue, the stigma, …let’s not mince words: the fact more people smoke than do not.
It should be legal.
Enjoy your 4/20!
Momento Mori –
I believe it to be good practice to reflect on the fact we all will die. It helps to prioritize things.
This interesting article breaks down a lifetime of 90 years into different segments…days…winters…
https://waitbutwhy.com/2015/12/the-tail-end.html
and this famous speech segment from Steve Jobs
Two other Pulitzer Prize finalists on losing to Kendrick Lamar –
Humility is a virtue.
The search for the next billion $ color – Red –
I’m very color blind, so I found this article fascinating and obscure:
https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2018-quest-for-billion-dollar-red/
What’s on the radio –
I find the hang aka hand pan to be so relaxing and meditative.
Hang Massive – Once Again – 2011 – https://youtu.be/xk3BvNLeNgw