Mile High

A high-level international panel slammed the war on drugs as a failure Thursday and called on governments to undertake experiments to decriminalize the use of drugs, especially marijuana, to undermine the power of organized crime.

Compiled by the Global Commission on Drug Policy, the report concludes that criminalization and repressive measures have failed with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world.
~ from Major Panel: Drug War Failed; Legalize Marijuana by Edith M. Lederer ~

As I have pointed out in this space before, I am something of a nerd. I have never tried pot (weed, maryjane). Never had an interest in doing so. I have never been drunk either. In fact, I have probably consumed less alcohol in my whole lifetime than the average alcoholic consumes on an average weekend.

While drugs and alcohol don't figure in as part of my personal lifestyle choices, I always have been ardent supporter of the legalization of marijuana. It's no worse -- in many respects, it's not as dangerous -- as the legal usage of alcohol and tobacco. Consequently, from my humble perspective, it is insane that this substance is not legal while the other two are.

Because marijuana is illegal, it has also meant that the agricultural crop of hemp has been banned too. Hemp both is highly nutritious and has a multitude of uses, many of which are very earth-friendly.

So, I am happy to see this international panel weigh in on this matter. While some nations will take their recommendations to heart, I am confident the US won't be one of them.

Why? It would strike a sharp blow to the economic machinations of the prison-industrial complex. Why adopt such a sane policy when it negatively would impact the bottom line of the many corporations who keep the fat cats installed in Washington?

Gosh, we can't have that!!