Unpotpular

Recently, an Alternet writer wrote an article that puts into words the frustration I've been having about marijuana legalization. With each year, more and more citizens are becoming more welcome to the idea of legalization and yet most politicians are afraid to touch the pro-legalization subject with a ten-foot pole. Even our own President Barack Obama laughed off the subject of marijuana legalization.

Yes, I understand there are more important, pressing issues, but to laugh at the movement is akin to insulting the intelligence of all those in favor of legalization by emphasizing that marijuana legalization is a joke. It's as if one is saying "You silly stoner, politics are for legislators!" How can it just be laughed off when 800,000 people each year are arrested for having marijuana*?

And I don't get it. Politicians have obviously used marijuana before (see former NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg, current NY governor David Paterson, former President Clinton, and ... President Obama!). This hypocrisy is easily responsible for delaying the legalization of marijuana for many years. Another major reason which I would agree with is the idea that the people who are being arrested for marijuana are those with little "political voice." Between those reasons and the scientific studies that show marijuana is not harmful to use and even beneficial, I cannot comprehend how so little progress has been made in the movement to legalize cannabis.

As for what can be done to change this, the author of the article provides statements from some spokespeople. I think in order for progress to be made, the general populace needs to be educated with correct unbiased information. Furthermore, more people need to stand up instead of staying silent.

* A note on the 800,000 people arrested for marijuana: prisons across the United States are filled to the brim and an increasing influx of convicted marijuana users is pushing out truly violent criminals into society.