The time has come...Uruguay looks like it might be legalizing marijuana. The social hypocrisy must stop and we must identify where the real problem lies.
It isn't about control in the sense of limiting others from being free, it is just the opposite. Giving freedom, true freedom is the greatest form of control, because when people are out in the open and in accord with the law, true regulation is possible.
If we seek true democracy, then we must legalize marijuana. The arguments for are greater than against and it seems to be true that only the greater capitalistic, corporate interests have built on years of sociocultural bigotry towards keeping it illegal.
The arguments for whether or not it is a gateway drug are also spurious. Either way, as President Santos of Colombia presents, the crises of the drug war and its costs are making legalization crucial. Colombia too wants to "legalize it". It is a huge cash crop worth billions of dollars. Further, we can focus more deeply on helping those who are addicted to harder drugs, even those who have found themselves addicted to "legal" over the counter drugs created by pharmaceutical companies that do not wish to see marijuana flourish as the medicine that it potentially is.
Whatever your preference is, it is of no consequence. No one is telling you which channel to turn to, so let's not tell anyone where to "turn on".
