3 Reasons to Legalize Pot

From Reason TV: 3 Reasons to Legalize Pot Now!

Summary:

As the United States enters its 72nd year of marijuana prohibition, it’s time to consider legalizing pot once and for all, for at least three reasons:

1. The tax revenue and savings in law enforcement costs. A 2005 cost-benefit analysis done by Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron found that legalizing marijuana and taxing it similar to alcohol would generate over $6 billion in new revenue and save nearly $8 billion in direct law enforcement costs. Pot is already the biggest cash crop in many states; bringing it into the open market would pump all sorts of energy into the economy.

2. It’s going to happen anyway, so why delay the inevitable? Increasing numbers of Americans realize that pot prohibition is an ineffective and costly policy. A 2009 poll by Zogby found that 52 percent of Americans agreed that marijuana should be taxed and regulated like booze. A Field Poll last year of California residents, who will vote on a legalization ballot initiative in the fall, found that 56 percent wanted legalization. Other polls show historically high percentages favoring legalization. In a world of busted budgets, it’s crystal clear that spending time and energy policing marijuana is not worth it.

3. Keep Your Laws Off Our Bodies. Never mind that by virtually every measure, pot is safer and less than disruptive than booze. Pot prohibition in the 1930s was the result of hysteria, not serious threats to society. We own our bodies and should be free to eat, drink, and smoke what we want. And to take responsibility for our actions, whether we’re straight or we’re stoned.

I want to be clear on something that differentiates me from more socially conservative Republicans and die-hard Libertarians. Like Libertarians, I don’t think the government should be telling people what personal activities they should not be allowed to do because other people think it’s wrong or immoral. Like social conservatives, I think that drug use (at least excessive drug use) is wrong and immoral. I am in that narrow space between the two positions that says, simply: “I don’t think what you’re doing should be illegal, because it is your choice, but I very firmly believe that you are a moron for choosing what you have chosen.” I am comfortable with that kind of condemnation.

Instead of punishing with laws, which makes the situation worse, drug use should be reduced by winning people’s hearts and minds.