In what will become a six-part series over the next two weeks, the New York Times took a strong stance on the legalization of marijuana in it’s first post over the weekend by asking legislators to “Repeal Prohibition, Again.”
The creative graphics are just one reason to check out this post that blatantly suggests the federal government repeal the ban on marijuana. Subsequent articles Let States Decide on Marijuana and The Injustice of Marijuana Arrests further back the Times’ stance, and we can only assume the rollout of subsequent articles will do the same in this well-crafted argument to our elected officials.
Indeed, somewhere between 52 and 60 percent of Americans (depending on which source you’re reading) believe that marijuana should be legalized, if not for recreational use then definitely for medical purposes. As a result, 35 states now permit marijuana for medical use, and 18 states have decriminalized the drug. About 76 percent of the population now lives in an area with relaxed marijuana laws.
Will this spur a new era of government elections? I think it’s safe to say with the success of Colorado and the likely success of Washington, that it’s going to be a hot topic in 2016.
We will continue to monitor this series and keep updates throughout.
Marijuana in Illinois 