Fuck me... It looked like the USA might be progressing in terms of legalisation on a full scale, with Colorado, California, Michigan and Washington becoming legal or legal-ish. It makes no sense to go backwards on that now...
Three steps up, one step back.
And don't forget, the USA has a Federal system. . .what flies in Oregon doesn't necessarily fly in Georgia.
I genuinely believe that it will take a Civil War in order to get legalisation of Cannabis in most countries. Such a sad, sad state of affairs.
Nah. . .nobody is going to war over weed.
The only thing it will take is an inevitable demographic shift.
Young people know from observation or personal experience that cannabis is mostly harmless, and as they progress upwards in age into actual voters, the laws will change accordingly.
Its basically the same thing happening now with gay marriage. Five years ago Senator Obama was against gay marriage. Two years ago President Obama was against gay marriage, yet one year ago (facing re-election) he "suddenly" changed his mind. Why? Did he REALLY have a change of heart? Of course not. . .he just stuck his finger in the wind and realized that he was on the wrong side of that issue this election cycle.
Cannabis legalization will proceed the same way. Its going to be drip. ..drip. ..drip of more states adopting a medical model, then a few with recreational models, then eventually a plurality. The Federal gov't won't just up and legalize right away, but the POTUS may choose to reschedule MMJ out of DEA Class I, permitting research and medical prescriptions. Eventually, the Fed will relent.
Democracy? I thought that was when you let the public decide the politics with votes on laws etc?
Well, to be clear, the State of CA voted just two years on this very issue of permitting recreational/full legal cannabis.
The public HAD its vote, and they said NO. . .*IN CALIFORNIA*.
If they can't legalize weed in CA as recently as that, then what hope is there in Alabama, Georgia, or other socially conservative states?
And until a majority, or at last substantial plurality of States legalize weed, what hope is there for legalization at a FEDERAL level?
You have to stand before you can walk, right?
Again, by simple demographics, this WILL happen eventually. . .its basically just a question of time.