An opinion piece in the yesterday's WSJ by Mary Anastasia O'Grady reported some insightful remarks from former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Link: A Path to Victory in the Drug War behind the pay wall. Since Cordoso been out of office he has become a proponent of marijuana decriminalization, and he had some sound reasons.
Simply put, the war on marijuana has failed. The efforts to eradicate marijuana have been unsuccessful, the cartels are getting stronger, and democracy in some South American countries is being threatened.
The main argument against marijuana legalization is that marijuana leads to harder drugs. He blows a big hole in that contention. If marijuana does in fact lead a user to experimentation and eventual addiction to hard drugs, it is because that is the business plan of the illegal drug sellers. Users have to make contact with an illegal seller in order to acquire marijuana. But the big profit margin is in the hard drug line. So the seller tries to get the buyer to upgrade his/her purchase. And when you think about it, why not give hard drugs to the buyer free with the marijuana purchase?
The solution to that particular problem is to take the marijuana business away from the cartels. If the buyer doesn't have any contact with the cartels then it is harder for the cartels to place that temptation in front of the typical marijuana user. And the cartels have less money to fight a war and corrupt government officials.
Makes sense. Some residents in the state of California tried to get a proposition passed that would legalize marijuana, but it failed for various reasons. That would have been a great experiment for the other 49 states to watch. But maybe such an experiment will take place in one of the South American countries. And there will be a lot to learn from it.
I disagree with you Fish. People NEED to wake up to the reiatly that a FREE MARKET means NO BLACK MARKET! Libertarians have it right! Mainstream Status Quo Bi-Partisan Liberals/Neo-Conservatives have it wrong!Support GOP's Selecting of Ron Paul ONLY! Give them nothing and vote ANYTHING but OBAMA OR GOP'S ALTERNATIVE CHOICE. Write in Ron Paul if need be.. They must TAKE LEGALIZATION SERIOUSLY! I wish Radical Russ/NORML would come out in support of RON PAUL. I know legalization activists tend to be liberal, but what people are willing to do is COMPROMISE on MAINSTREAM ESTABLISHMENT PHILOSOPHIES! The reiatly must kick in that RON PAUL BACKS OUR MESSAGE ALL THE WAY, and for those who are serious about legalization INCLUDING NORML AND RUSS, I ask you to put aside all other preordained political notions, biases etcetera, and vocalize ALL OUT SUPPORT for Ron Paul for President in 2012. Honestly, are you unable or unwilling to see that he is the best ally NORML and ALL legalization movements have right now!? Can you imagine if we had a strong supporter of legalization sitting upon THE INSTANT HOTSEAT SEAT OF WORLD POWER AND INFLUENCE? It would be a dream come true for us, no? He has a STELLAR voting record NO ONE is denying his INTEGRITY.. although they call him naive WELL ARE WE NAIVE? Obama clearly tends to thinks so.. or else why does he disregard our CALL? Either he really is a reformed Stoner, OR, h simply has NO BACK BONE and NO INTEGRITY. In my opinion, legalization is wise, and WORTH OPENLY TAKING A COURAGEOUS STAND FOR!Stand with us brothers.RP 2012
Posted by: Benny | May 18, 2012 at 10:13 AM