Medical Marijuana IS Legalized Marijuana (caduceus art by Dave Bram, Oregon NORML)
I was having a discussion with an activist about the “splintering” of the different groups involved in marijuana law reform, tinged with the plaintive hope of “can’t we all just get abong?” There are many divisions, some sewn through personality conflicts, others by slights real or imagined. But some are disagreements over policy and strategy, like some hemp enthusiasts keeping anything “marijuana” at arms’ length. Naturally, with he in California and I in Oregon, both with incredible medical marijuana laws, we got around to discussing the fractious nature of “legalizers” vs. “medicalizers”.
It’s tough sometimes advocating for legalization when you’ve got a great medical law in your state. A lot of the public falls between “what more do you people want” and “hey, isn’t it almost legal anyway?” It’s easy for the public, especially the ones covered by a medical marijuana law, to forget that 19 out of 20 of us tokers aren’t patients. Reminds me of the sign I hate most: “We’re Patients, Not Criminals!” – so what’s that make me? I refuse to believe that a guy in a wheelchair sharing a joint with me makes us a patient and a criminal, because I committed the crime of being far too healthy to smoke weed.
I understand their side not wanting to be confused with the “legalizers”. But at NORML, when you believe all people have a right to use cannabis, how can you not support the right of sick and dying people to use cannabis? I’ve always laughed at that “Trojan Horse” argument that we’re using sick people to legalize weed. I have yet to have one sick person with medical marijuana ask me to help repeal those laws – who’s using whom here? If it’s a Trojan Horse, it’s made of glass, because – duh! – medical marijuana is legal weed. It is legal weed with very tight restrictions, and the people have agreed to that, so now, as George Bernard Shaw once remarked, “We’ve already established what you are, ma’am. Now we’re just haggling over the price.”
Oh, but it’s the “camel’s nose under the tent” for full legalization (love all their horse/camel references). So let me see how that works: the people legalize weed with very tight restrictions. According to this metaphor, it’s a “slippery slope” as the people will eventually reduce the restrictions on legal weed until the only requirement is adulthood.
Why? If I was camping, and a camel put his nose under my tent, I’d yell and holler and beat that camel until it went away. How is it that medical marijuana is going to slowly lead to full legalization unless the people want to invite that camel in? It seems to me the whole notion of having to keep marijuana absolutely illegal, lest the people make it partially legal and discover they wish to make it fully legal, concedes the point that once the people are allowed to have marijuana, they’ll like it and vote for more of it.
Egad, the people might choose to rule themselves through the exercise of democracy! That’s downright revolutionary!
Hi Russ,
Great article. Love the conclusion you come to in the end and to me that is the main point. This issue with law enforcement and politicians getting in the media and telling us what we should believe is just down right ludicrous. As if we need some one to tell us what we aught to do and what kind of laws to make for ourselves. I live in a sheriff praising 50s era mindset world here in Fort Myers Florida and I see this all the time with our local sheriff Mike Scott. (the guy who blasted Barack’s middle name during the presidential race as if having the name Hussein was actually a horrible thing) We are currently working on getting Medical Cannabis here in Florida and I’m sure once the issue is on the ballot our very own Sheriff Mike Scott will be preaching loud and self-righteously about the evils of Marijuana. And the ironic thing is most of the retired aged people who live and control this economy will praise him for being hard on crime where all the while he’s getting his bonuses from forfeitures and seizures on all the grow houses they bust over in Lehigh Acres. And even more ironic than that, many of these old and ailing people who retire here would save Billions on pharmaceutical cost and have plenty left over for the working class families children who have been refused a decent education because of the State budget cuts. Any way… I’m ranting now, but I’m mad as hell at the entire situation but I feel completely helpless to do anything about it all. Got any ideas for stimulating the latent 50 year old hippies and 70 year old Beatniks to come outta their retirement homes and get mad as hell?
Pretty funny Russ – and yes…..my Norml card…..I do have that one!
Hey, Karri… got your card yet?
It is frustrating as a recreational user these days in the activist movement. When I meet activists in Oregon they often ask “Have you got your card yet?” I will always fight for patients rights as cannabis users, but legalization will always be my first priority. If we all work at legalizing cannabis, then the medical patients and the hemp activist will also get what they want. It is not enough to fight for your rights, then rest on your laurels because the line in the sand now includes you but excludes those that fought alongside you on the front lines.
Russ, Thank you for another great read.I love the “camel” usage, lol cracks me up. I support the right of any Man/Woman to decide for himself/herself what is right and what is wrong for him/her. Medicinal, therapeutic, or just down right enjoyable, the reasons we would choose to use are ours not the Governments, nor any other persons. Prohibition is a ridiculous attempt by the government to control a group of people based mainly upon prejudice. We must Tell the Government that Controlling a “minority” group, or any other group of people souly because they are different is wrong. America Stands today a Shining Example of cultural diversity. Even Cannabis consumers for whatever reason have a place. Too bad in all but 13 states that groups place is “In the closet”.
Join us today in reshaping the way we are governed. Call, Write, Email your support for Legalization to your State and Federal level reps. President Obama was elected by us to enact change, well lets get busy directing that change! Stand and let your voice be heard.
The medical marijuana proponents don’t want to be associated with the recreational cannabis movement.
Industrial hemp proponents don’t want to be associated with recreational cannabis, and probably even medical marijuana.
Both camps feel that associating with “stoners” hurts their cause. Yet it’s the same plant, the same prohibition, the same principle. I understand their philosophy, but it seems to me that they are cutting their nose off to spite their face by not embracing all forms and uses of cannabis. Instead of being three different advocacy groups fighting separately for their similar causes, we could unite as one larger voice to end this prohibition nonsense.