The war on drugs is just one more example of how the federal government has taken it upon themselves to completely overstep their bounds. It was never the intent for the federal government to have the power to legislate how the citizens live their lives.
I find it amazing that people don’t recognize the hypocrisy of our federal drug policies. In a world of celebrated alcohol use and abuse, we chastise those who make the choice to use a relatively safer alternative. Despite mountains of evidence and human history to prove the benefits of therapeutic cannabis use, the United States government clings to the Reefer Madness and classifying marijuana as a Schedule 1 narcotic.
This stance taken is not only irrational, it is downright dangerous. People who could otherwise benefit, and live healthier and happier lives have essentially been brainwashed into perceiving the plant as a dangerous narcotic. Even in states where medical use has been legalized, there are people who were raised in a generation of lies and deceit are now left to suffer because they refuse to believe the government would lie to them in such a way.
It is even more absurd, at least to me, that the federal government would, or even could, step in and tell entire states of voters that they basically do not care what they want. The federal government’s place is to allow the individual states to do business with one another, and for our country to do business with other nations.
It is not the place of the federal government to tell individual citizens how they are to live their lives. If my decisions do not affect the federal government or their interests then they should not have the power to legislate them. Allow our local law enforcement and judicial systems decide what is in their best interest to serve and protect their citizens and themselves.
The criminal justice system has become a business in this country. It seems that they are not concerned with what is best for the citizens as much as they are with what will be the most profitable. And while they are collecting fines and court costs, they are spending taxpayer money to ruin the lives of otherwise law abiding, productive members of society.
Prohibition will also lead to increased crime rates, as we learned during the days of alcohol prohibition. Not only are the possible profits of black market drugs enticing to young, impressionable teenagers, but as an adult a simple possession charge will cost people job opportunities, leading them to find other ways to a living. Our current efforts to curb the drug problem in this country has done nothing but escalate the problem, and it is time for the federal government to set the example and take the first steps to change our approach.