So, people were wondering how well the legalization of marijuana would work, and some people even seem to consider the beginning of the end of this prohibition as a sign of the decline of American civilization.
Well, I doubt that, of course. Personally, I believe that the legalization of marijuana is the direction we are going in, and I am very glad for it! It would be the right thing for the environment, for health, for getting people to think more critically with long held prejudices.
Simply put, the rationale behind making marijuana illegal in the first place was flawed, but the position of wanting to keep marijuana illegal in this day and age, when we have such easy access to information and know the benefits of legalization, while also being able to see the complete and utter lack of logic behind the arguments to keep it illegal, is frankly indefensible.
The legalization in Colorado has gone off as anyone might have expected. It was a novelty at first, and many people packed the stores to begin with. But in time, I imagine, things began to calm down a little bit. Colorado saw natives beginning to get used to it, although surely, a lot of out-of-staters probably made a special trip to the state, which likely helped local businesses that rely on tourism.
And yes, so far, marijuana has been beneficial thus far. People seem to be enjoying it, willing to spend their hard-earned money on it. There have not been news reports of increased violence in Colorado since, either. In fact, the state is now beginning to take in some of the money - to the tune of $2 million, after only a couple of months!
It bears repeating that marijuana is not addictive, and recreational legalization will allow the state to regulate, and collect taxes from the sales, so it can get what it wants. And people who want marijuana obviously are getting what they want, too.
To me, it seems like a win-win. And Colorado is providing the first example, with Washington also soon to join.
In fact, if I might be so bold, I suspect that those opponents just waiting for the inevitable downside of legalization will have few straws to grasp. There really does not appear to be any major negatives to this trend towards legalization. That is why I feel, and actually have long felt, that the general direction that we will see in the future is for increased legalization. It is, admittedly, happening in a very different manner than expected, with two states approving the legalization (and one, Oregon, rejecting it), followed by a city in Maine (Portland) following suit and legalizing. The New Hampshire House approved the measure, although it did not become state law.
In other words, it is happening with trickles, and not with a tidal wave, as I had expected when younger.
Really, it makes sense, in a way. My guess is that more states will consider, and ultimately approve, legalization. Probably the same states that initially legalized gay marriage. Other states will surely not even consider it. Kansas will not likely see legalization anytime soon. I'm guessing neither will Arizona. Or Arkansas. Or Alabama. Or Mississippi. After all, let us remember that the end of the Prohibition did not come all at once. One little known fact is that in some counties, mostly in conservative, southern states, Prohibition still exists. You likely won't get arrested for possessing alcohol there, but the laws are in the books. Just in case you don't believe me, check for yourself by clicking on any of the following links:
"There are communities where Prohibition still exists, and it's costing them" by Sally Herships, December 5, 2013:
http://www.marketplace.org/topics/economy/there-are-communities-where-prohibition-still-exists-and-its-costing-them
And here is a site with a map of the counties where Prohibition still exists:
"Prohibition still exists, mainly in the rural South" April 2, 2012:
http://irjci.blogspot.com/2012/04/prohibition-still-exists-mainly-in.html
So, change won't come right away, or everywhere. But I have absolutely no doubt that change is going to come. it already has in Colorado and Washington, and in Portland, Maine. And you better believe that it will come in more places in the future, because there really are no negatives to legalization (and I'm not even a pothead!).
"Colorado collects $2m in marijuana taxes in January", published on BBC World News Report, March 10, 2014:
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26523833
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