Denver wants to be even higher. Fifty-four percent of Denver voters wish for the legalization of marijuana possession, as long as the amount doesn’t exceed one ounce.
Despite the city’s stance, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper is against legalization. Not only that, authorities claim that state laws will override the vote. Of course, the Supreme Court has already banned medical marijuana in Colorado.
When we practice democracy, is this the best that we can do? It’s wrong that a majority of city voters have worked to get something done, only to have the higher people (pun intended) say, “No way.”
However, I can see gaps of logic within some pro-marijuana arguments. In the Associated Press article that reported Denver’s vote, a man named Mason Tvert said marijuana legalization would make people stop abusing alcohol as much, which would reduce alcohol-related crime and accidents.
Tvert’s point is a long shot. How do we know that the people who would rather smoke marijuana than drink alcohol are the ones causing the accidents and crime? Since Tvert is the campaign organizer for SAFER (Safer Alternatives For Enjoyable Recreation‹¨I’m not making this crap up), he needs a better argument.
But Denver is backing Tvert. And I don’t blame them. Keeping a safer substance illegal is incredibly stupid, especially when the people want it that way. On top of that, legalization would definitely help any economy by strangling a black market, and prisons would be less crowded.
The idea of marijuana legalization is spreading, yet I don’t see it becoming reality if the government has too much power over the people.