Voters rejecting the war on drugs is a win for public health

Could this be a situation where politicians have faulty data and use that to guide how they act? I would have assumed that a majority of these states - and my home state of NJ - would be very anti-drug but these votes with >60% in favor of legalization show that significant portions of America think drug-related activities are not "immoral" or "wrong" and should not be criminalized.

If you had asked me a few years ago if I thought this was what the general American populous thought I'd have said no because, of all of the politicians who advocated for legalization of drugs, very very few got elected.

Maybe now that politicians see that people are very against drug laws we'll see some of them renege on their hard anti-drug stances.

Re: Voters rejecting the war on drugs is a win for public health

#5

Post by lotsofpulp » Sat, Nov 07, 2020, 3:19 PM UTC

gravypod wrote: post #4

Could this be a situation where politicians have faulty data and use that to guide how they act? I would have assumed that a majority of these states - and my home state of NJ - would be very anti-drug but these votes with >60% in favor of legalization show that significant portions of America think drug-related activities are not "immoral" or "wrong" and should not be criminalized. If you had asked me a few years ag…

> Maybe now that politicians see that people are very against drug laws we'll see some of them renege on their hard anti-drug stances.

The purpose of existing drug laws, especially marijuana, is to give police a reason to harass and discriminate against certain populations.

Re: Voters rejecting the war on drugs is a win for public health

#6

Post by bjt2n3904 » Sat, Nov 07, 2020, 3:22 PM UTC

> Cannabis has been rebranded as a wellness panacea. Mushrooms and MDMA are making headlines as therapy tools, not party fuel.

Man, these guys are late to the party. Alcohol works great for treating symptoms of stress, too! Can't be stressed, anxious, or depressed if I'm blitzed out of my mind!

Re: Voters rejecting the war on drugs is a win for public health

#7

Post by mmm_grayons » Sat, Nov 07, 2020, 3:25 PM UTC

gravypod wrote: post #4

Could this be a situation where politicians have faulty data and use that to guide how they act? I would have assumed that a majority of these states - and my home state of NJ - would be very anti-drug but these votes with >60% in favor of legalization show that significant portions of America think drug-related activities are not "immoral" or "wrong" and should not be criminalized. If you had asked me a few years ag…

> these votes with >60% in favor of legalization show that significant portions of America think drug-related activities are not "immoral" or "wrong" and should not be criminalized.

It's worth remembering that these aren't the same. People can vote for legalization while believing that recreational drug use is immoral. I believe it's wrong but support all drug legalization because I believe it's the job of the state to stop aggression, not to enforce morality.

Re: Voters rejecting the war on drugs is a win for public health

#8

Post by jagged-chisel » Sat, Nov 07, 2020, 3:27 PM UTC

bjt2n3904 wrote: post #6

> Cannabis has been rebranded as a wellness panacea. Mushrooms and MDMA are making headlines as therapy tools, not party fuel. Man, these guys are late to the party. Alcohol works great for treating symptoms of stress, too! Can't be stressed, anxious, or depressed if I'm blitzed out of my mind!

Too much generalization. Alcohol makes lots of folks so frickin' depressed...

(edit: sure, fine, drink enough and you don't even know the world exist...)

Re: Voters rejecting the war on drugs is a win for public health

#9

Post by inglor_cz » Sat, Nov 07, 2020, 3:27 PM UTC

gravypod wrote: post #4

Could this be a situation where politicians have faulty data and use that to guide how they act? I would have assumed that a majority of these states - and my home state of NJ - would be very anti-drug but these votes with >60% in favor of legalization show that significant portions of America think drug-related activities are not "immoral" or "wrong" and should not be criminalized. If you had asked me a few years ag…

Even people who think that MJ is immoral or wrong may be against outright ban. It is not purpose of criminal justice to enforce virtue or morality per se, unless one believes in very strict interpretation of their religion (even religious police powers in Saudi Arabia were recently watered down). Victimless crimes will always wake some kind of unease in free-minded people.

P.S.: Politicians may not always act on wishes of silent majority. If the minority is strong and aggressive enough, they will be tempted to yield. Same dynamics as on Twitter, in principle; that is why ballot initiatives, where individual voters cannot be intimidated into voting in a certain way, are so important to democracy.

Re: Voters rejecting the war on drugs is a win for public health

#10

Post by JumpCrisscross » Sat, Nov 07, 2020, 3:28 PM UTC

bjt2n3904 wrote: post #6

> Cannabis has been rebranded as a wellness panacea. Mushrooms and MDMA are making headlines as therapy tools, not party fuel. Man, these guys are late to the party. Alcohol works great for treating symptoms of stress, too! Can't be stressed, anxious, or depressed if I'm blitzed out of my mind!

> Alcohol works great for treating symptoms of stress

Yes? This is how it can work.

If you can’t have some wine without cleaning out the village, it might be a sign of alcoholism.