http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/08/opinion/roffman-pot-legalization/index.html?iref=obnetwork
The results of the recent election indicate that marijuana is now legal in two more states. The interesting thing about this video clip is the fact that they mention incarcerated black males, when they bring up the negative aspects of marijuana. It is clear that they are racializing drug users. Another interesting point is the fact that they ignore those who use marajuana for medical purposes. They criticize it in its entirety, when it can actually alleviate certain medical problems, such as severe back pain. They ignore the fact that marijuana may have been legalized for state taxation purposes thus stimulating the economy. Marijuana legalization may not be as bad of an idea as we perceive it to be.
Racialization certainly does play into this topic, but I think that a more relevant connection to make is a connection to hegemony. I am unaware why people have chosen to single out the recreational use of marijuana as intrinsically deleterious and a source for social and personal discontentment, but I personally believe that if alcohol is legal, regulated, and distributed exclusively to adults, marijuana should have the same liberties. Alcohol is more addictive, and more problematic to the health of users, than THC. But through hegemony and agents of socialization like media influences people have embraced the opposite idea of what is actually correct. I sincerely believe that if marijuana were legalized for recreational use, tax dollars generated would solve far more problems than legalization would cause (consider how many use marijuana anyway, and how much money tax-payers could not only gain in revenue, but save by alleviating a heavy burden on law enforcement and prisons).
ReplyDeleteAs far as medicinal marijuana goes, it is absurd to deprive patients of medicine that makes them feel better because others consider it unsavory. The counter-argument usually goes something like “What next? Should we legalize heroine too? How about meth?” This strikes me as silly because variations of both of those drugs are already legal (though controlled) and distributed to health care patients regularly. Adderall and Ritalin are both amphetamines and are given to people with ADD/ADHD (it has the opposite effect on these folks), and Morphine, Vicodin, and countless other standard-issue pain medications are derived from opium (just like heroine is). If marijuana were legalized federally as a medication for sick people, it could be taxed, regulated (made safe), and help relieve pain for patients.
this is great thinking! bianca, i think the racialization you point out is really important - most studies have shown that more white people smoke marijuana than Black folks, but there's still the assumption that Black folks do. the other aspect of racialization of marijuana use is that Black people, Black men in particular, are MUCH more likely to be arrested and incarcerated for marijuana use than white people. So legalization could directly benefit Black Americans who are incarcerated for non-violent drug crimes (which is an absurdly high number of prisoners in California, although I don't have the data at my fingertips).
ReplyDeleteTodd, you raise really good points, too!