“Marijuana, illegal, but Newports will make you die…” – OG Maco – “Get Down”
January 1, 2018, will forever live in infamy. Not only did it mark the beginning of a new year, but also the genesis of a new era. As the beautiful state of California counted down the last 10 seconds of 2017, thousands of people reached into their pockets to grab a lighter. 3…2…1…HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Celebratory joints, blunts, bowls, bongs and whatever other tools you can consume cannabis with were all set ablaze (to the people who consume edibles, I didn’t forget about you either ;-). Sounds like any other New Year’s celebration, right?
Well, this one was different because the inception of 2018 welcomed the broad legalization of marijuana in the state of California via Proposition 64, making it the largest state in the nation to have legal and regulated recreational marijuana!
Anyone 21 and older can grow up to SIX plants and possess as much as an ounce (yes, a WHOLE ounce)…LEGALLY!
Jan 1, 2018, 1:05 am– This is where my excitement ended. The sobering effect of legalization set in. Not even 2 hours into the New Year and all my years of taking the red pill (shout-out to all my Matrix buffs) start to kick in…again.
I begin to question the world we live in: Why hasn’t cannabis always been widely accepted as cigarettes and alcohol?
For decades, weed smokers have been demonized, stigmatized and criminalized by a society that turns a blind eye to cigarette smokers and alcohol drinkers.
Cigarettes, the super cool product with thesuper cool nickname, “CANCER sticks,” can be smoked freely and legally, but cannabis can’t? Wait, so you mean to tell me we’ll let our families and friends smoke a product with the following side effects, but that can’t smoke marijuana?:
Low to moderate doses
- initial stimulation, then reduction in activity of the brain and nervous system
- feelings of mild euphoria
- increased blood pressure and heart rate
- decreased blood flow to fingers and toes
- decreased skin temperature
- nausea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting
- headache
- coughing, due to smoke irritation.
Higher Doses
- an increase in the above unpleasant effects
- feeling faint
- confusion
- a rapid decrease in blood pressure and breathing rate
- seizures
- respiratory arrest (stopping breathing)
- death.
I won’t even bore you with the actual ingredients; I’ve never been a fan of easy wins anyway, especially when it comes to marijuana vs. cigarettes.
Now, let’s quickly look at our good friend, alcohol and its somehow invisible global impact:
- DUI’s
- Drunk driving accidents and deaths
- Domestic abuse
- Child abuse
- Alcoholism
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Delirium
- Loss of memory
- Hyper aggression
- Liver damage
Both products are legal, but here’s the thing: the term “legal” is a very tricky concept because the reasons for legality may trump morals, values, ethics and the greater good of a people. Is this legal because it enhances the quality of life and convenience? Does it maintain or restore order? Is it generally harmless? Or is it so profitable that regardless of impact we’ll allow it to thrive to some degree? Are we feeding off addiction and eventual demise? Or has history proved that legislating morality is a lost cause anyway (Prohibition-era ring a bell)?
Let’s be clear, I’m not condemning anyone who smokes or drinks, but let’s call a spade a spade. To demonize medicinal marijuana in the name of cigarettes and alcohol is not only disingenuous but at the highest form of hypocrisy. I’ve never met anyone whose doctor prescribed a pack of Marlboro or two Hennessey and cokes a day to make the pain go away. Medicinal cigarettes and alcohol don’t exist but if it did I’m sure marijuana would be back on the chopping blocks of illegalization.
Why is marijuana all of sudden legal in Cali? Wait, why are cigarettes even legal? I have no idea why I even asked myself this. The main answer is easy (to me at least): Money, money, money, moneyyyy!! MONEYYYYYY! I don’t think Proposition 64’s proposal for broadlegalization and reduction of criminal penalties for marijuana-related offenses was entirely based on ethics and morals. On the contrary, I think it was a beautifully and masterfully orchestrated front, though needed, to masks the monetary intentions of a country where cash is king.
Let’s look at the numbers: The analysis, conducted by the University of California Agricultural Issues Center at UC-Davis, estimated that recreational marijuana sales will command about 60 percent of the state’s pot market — accounting for about $5 billion in annual sales.
Medical marijuana sales brought in about $2 billion in California last year. Researchers estimated that the illegal pot market in California accounted for another $5.7 billion, or about three-quarters of all marijuana sales in the state.
These estimates are staggering. It’s pretty clear that state does not want to miss out on any more of the party, especially when that party has 75% of all the cannabis and a state full of stoners who happily enjoy right under their nose (well, they can probably smell it, but you get my drift).
I was even more curious about the profits of the tobacco industry. I want to say I was surprised, but when you understand the business of government, drugs, and addiction, the numbers are more disheartening than shocking.
In 2010, the combined profits of the six leading tobacco companies in the U.S. was $35.1 billion, equal to the combined profits of Coca-Cola, Microsoft, and McDonald’s in the same year. If Big Tobacco were a country, it would have a gross domestic product (GDP) of countries like Poland, Saudi Arabia, Sweden , nd Venezuela.
In 2011, according to The Tobacco Atlas, tobacco use killed almost 6 million people, with nearly 80% of these deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. When considering 2010 deaths with tobacco industry revenue, the tobacco industry realizes almost $6,000 in profit for each death caused by tobacco. –I think its safe to say cash rules everything around me (big shout-outs to Wu-Tang).
What about everyone in jail, prison or with a criminal records for marijuana-related offenses? The residual impact of the 80s and 90s “War on Drugs” is understated. The mass incarceration and disproportionate representationof minorities in prison, especially African-Americans, shook the foundation of generations to come. Non-violent drug arrests resulted in prison sentences as long as the dissertations your girlfriend texts you when she has a few things to get off her chest about relationship issues she has with you. The result: Broken homes and a world of emotional, psychological and emotional damage.
Now, 20-30 odd years later, the very non-violent marijuana-related activities they were arrested are now legal. So, how will the country mitigate the already daunting impact of the War of Drugs on individuals whose ascension in higher education and professional fields are inhibited because of their criminal records?
Proposition 64 is supposed to be the answer as it decriminalizes Californians around the issue. Inmates now have the opportunity to have their convictions reclassified or cleared. This potential relief in conjunction with “equity programs” will allow for victims of the war on drugs to have application priority during the marijuana business licensing process
These remedies are much needed and seem genuine especially for the nearly 1 million people in the state of California with marijuana-related convictions, but the state is only giving an inch, not a foot. For example, Oakland’s equity programs will set aside half of all medical and recreational marijuana business licenses for applications by individuals most affected by marijuana criminalization.
Even more interesting, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Sacramento are considering equity programs. Considering? What’s there to consider? This is an opportunity to right a wrong and there’s still some hesitation, but again, intent comes into play. Is this truly about reform? I’ll let you decide.
While the state of California basks in the ambiance of legal marijuana smoke, edible induced trips, the giggles, munchies and the undefeated champion of the world aka “The Itis,” I’ll be smiling from ear-to-ear with hopes the red pill doesn’t kick to remind me that this “victory” is tainted.
Its just politics as usual…
Abdris