3 Steps to Marijuana Legalization — The Pro Pot Playbook

Decriminalization, Medicinalization, Legalization — three steps to full legalization and big marijuana.

1) Decrim — using a plea for social justice — when in reality fewer than 1% of the prison population is there for simple marijuana possession. Result: increased illicit use as of the drug as consequences are removed.

2) “Medical” marijuana — using a plea for compassion — when in reality nearly all major medical associations are dubious about any medical efficacy of this drug, and 95% of “patients” use this drug simply to get high.

Result: This further ingratiates this drug onto the unwitting good graces of communities, while profiteers organize to set up shop. They operate with NO medical oversight and impossible to enforce inspection requirements, selling a drug in large quantities. Diversion to non-card holding black and grey market customers is inevitable. More kids get high. More customers are enrolled.

3) Full legalization of a psychoactive hallucinogenic drug for recreational use using a plea for civil liberties. Legalized drug dealing. Speculators and pot barons move in, cultivate, normalize, promote and sell drugs on a broad commercial scale. They optimize potency, advertise, deceive and recruit a new generation of life long loyal customers to an addictive drug. In doing so they enshrine their industry into State laws, internalize (keep for themselves) private profit, and externalize (pass onto taxpayers) public costs.