The Fight for Complete Legalization

Many of us have been satisfied with the growing acceptance of medical marijuana, but others believe that this acceptance needs to go even further. Why stop at medical marijuana when science and history show that the drug should be legalized completely?

This is the stance of Jim Lewis, who ran for Florida Attorney General on the platform of complete legalization. Citizens in support of his cause held signs at a rally that read, “Prohibition didn't work. It still doesn't.”

This quote, which references the past illegality of alcohol, holds especially true for numerous reasons. There appears to be no real scientific evidence that pot should be illegal, given that it is a soft drug with minimal health risks. Alcohol, as a hard drug, is considered much more dangerous, has many more negative effects, and yet remains publicly accepted.

History also shows that making something illegal does not necessarily prevent its use. Prohibition lead to numerous federal funds being expended to fight the sale of alcohol and punish those involved with it. When prohibition was repealed, those funds were freed to be used elsewhere, and the taxes associated with alcohol actually worked to strengthen the economy.

Just as “speak easy's” were common during prohibition, marijuana remains available to those who seek it out, even in those areas where it is most frowned upon. It was inevitable that this would lead to new considerations about how marijuana use should be regulated, in order to make it safer and more profitable for the government.

Lewis is one of only a few public figures that is openly standing up for marijuana legalization, and it remains to be seen how this will work out for the majority. There are many rallying in support of this cause, but still others who would demonize politicians for such a controversial platform.