The world is full of excuses. There will always be a reason not to do something epic, if we look hard enough. The difference between those who make history and those who watch history pass them by is that people who make history rarely make excuses, or let challenges overcome their determination. Where there is a strong will there will always be a possible way.
Weed has come to a fork in the road. As a movement we must decide if we are going to take destiny into our own hands and end cannabis prohibition once and for all; or if we are going to let the same tired excuses stand in the way of our freedom for another few decades.
Let’s look at some of the common excuses that we hear as to why we cannot legalize weed right now:
- It is too soon. A lot of folks have bought into the theory of prohibition, and believe that it must be a slow evolution to restore our society to sanity. I am not buying it. The world is ready for legal weed. We must take a close look at our self-confidence as a movement if we cannot really envision the freedom we want and desire happening, like now. It is sad when those in our own ranks are so entrenched in the status quo, and believe we must take baby steps back to reality. It is never “too soon” for freedom.
- Corporations will take over the industry. Look around you. Corporations have taken over the industry already in a lot of ways, and that is not always a bad thing. Corporations can provide the large resources needed to produce an adequate supply for global demand. It is foolish to believe that we should keep weed illegal, or decriminalized, to avoid the normalization of the market into corporate society. This can be done ethically and consciously, as well. Not all corporations are evil, and while there certainly are evil corporations out there, society is demanding more accountability and ethical behavior from corporations these days. There is also a resurgence of smaller corporations and local small businesses that provide great products in most industries. You choose to go to McDonald’s or to the farmer’s market.
- Legalization will destroy medical cannabis. Huh? I could not believe it either when I heard this, or when this factor became evident in campaigns for adult use legalization of weed. I was astonished. But apparently the fear mongering goes like this…”If we pass legalization the feds will be so mad that they come in and shut everyone down.” (Please wait for sky to fall) If anything, legalization would take the heat off of the medical market…if that is your real mission. True to life medical patients and providers should be thrilled by legalization. Nothing destroys the credibility of medical cannabis, and the benefits it has, more than hundreds of dudes limping into a doctor with a pulled groin to get a recommendation to grow some weed. Most doctors outside of the cannabis bubble do understand the medical benefits of cannabis, but will not be associated with the current medical market because of its huge gray area of what is, and what is not, medical. If you really want the medical community to embrace medical cannabis then differentiating between medical and enjoyable use is the only answer.
- It is a political hot potato and hard to get support. That is just because we are doing it all wrong. First and foremost, we have the majority support of the people behind us and have for a couple of years now. Chances are support would be even higher if we did a better job of exposing the drug war for the fraud and deception it is. If we were more effective of making the case to people that we are allowing evil and greedy people to lock up mostly poor and minority people for many years to perform slave prison labor for major corporations over some harmless weed, we could end this thing today. Most folks have no clue. Because we have let our own personal doubts and conditioning get in the way of us standing up and saying “enough,” we have given up our political power. We must begin to educate people and expose the tragedies that these laws and policies have caused our communities. When we can do this, the powers at be will stand up and take notice and move quickly to be on the right side of history. No politician wants to be associated with policies that are evil and which are so damaging to our society.
- There are far more important issues on the table than weed. No there is not. What could be more important than the “holocaust in slow motion” that is the drug war? The reason we believe that our issue is not important enough is because we have been told for years that we are degenerates and derelicts because we like weed. We have allowed our society to make a mockery of weed and cast those who use it as some bumbling fools and idiots. When the reality is that weed is used by A LOT of people from all different walks of lives, backgrounds, ethnicities, and income brackets. Weed does not know racial boundaries or class. But you would not know that from looking at those arrested and in jail for for weed. But it is fair to say that at this point, everybody knows somebody who smokes weed; and that person is at risk of being arrested, having their right to privacy violated, and their lives ruined because they choose to use weed on occasion, or instead of booze. This is not okay any more. Weedheads are good people. We are everyone, and we deserve to have our freedoms and rights restored immediately. Nothing is more important than putting an end to this madness. Nothing.
Those are just a few of the common excuses I have heard swirling around camp cannabis lately. When I pick up a paper, or watch the news, or talk to people outside of the cannabis community, I am amazed and humbled at the overwhelming acceptance that is happening. The increasing willingness to embrace this cause, and the ongoing conversation about these disastrous policies, is heartwarming and real. There is something meaningful happening in our national (and global) dialogue about weed. This is happening, and probably happening quicker than most may be ready for.
We have to decide if we are going to ride the lightning and go for the kill shot…or if we are going to sit back and make excuses for another 5-10 years while this thing rolls out on its own without us. We CAN make history, and we can make it NOW.
We can continue to promote IMMEDIATE FREEDOM in our daily walk. These laws must change and they must change now, There is no need to lock up one more person for weed ever. We must have this conversation with anyone and everyone who will listen. It is up to us to keep this issue on the front burner and in the public eye. Organizing effective education campaigns and mobilizing people to push for reform has got to happen at a more rapid pace. It is up to us to expose the evils of prohibition and demand that we make immediate changes to how we deal with weed. We must be more agressive in our approach. It is time to cross the streams and destroy the StayPuft Marshmallow Man.
The time is now and history is ours for the taking. Excuses are for losers.
