Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Paths—and Barriers—to Legalization
Washington State Legalizes Pot
Because of my travels, I find myself one of the most high-profile people in America advoc-
ating for the reform of our nation's marijuana laws. In 2003, I hiked the length of Seattle's
Hempfest—America's largest marijuana rally—for the first time. It became clear to me:
these people aren't criminals. Maybe they're doing things some people don't like. But it's
not right to make them criminals. Since then, I've joined others in working to legalize
marijuana. I'm a board member of NORML (the National Organization for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws), I produced a TV show called “Marijuana: It's Time for a Conversation”
with the ACLU, and—in 2012—I co-sponsored the historic Initiative 502, which legalized
adult recreational marijuana use in Washington State.
All of this does not mean that I'm “pro-drugs.” I simply appreciate how most of
Europe treats its drug problems in a pragmatic way, with success measured by harm re-
duction rather than incarceration. While in the US, year after year, about 800,000 people
are arrested with marijuana charges, in parts of Europe discreetly smoking a joint is just
another form of relaxation.
I speak out on this issue, in part, because most Americans cannot—out of fear of los-
ing their job, or reputation, or both. Of the countless good causes I could get involved in,
drug policy reform is a high-risk choice. When I'm interviewed about this on TV or radio,
journalists ask me all the predictable, skeptical questions…and then, as soon as the mic is
off, they often say, “Thanks for having the courage to speak out.” My first thought is that
if it seems courageous to challenge a law that you believe is wrong, that is, in itself, reason
to speak out. Since I own my own business, I can't get fired…and so, when it comes to
America's prohibition on marijuana, I can consider lessons learned from my travels and
say what I really believe when I'm back home. While Washington State and Colorado
successfully legalized the adult recreational use of marijuana in 2012, much of what I call
“the Lower 48” is still very regressive on drug policy reform. Europe offers a strikingly
different approach to drug use and abuse.
The US and Europe: Two Different Approaches to Drug Abuse
There's no doubt that the abuse of drugs—whether “soft drugs” (such as marijuana, alco-
hol, and tobacco) or “hard drugs” (including heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines)—is
horrible and destroys lives. Since the 1970s, the US approach has been to declare a “war
on drugs” (with the exception of alcohol and tobacco). In contrast, Europe has attempted a
wide range of solutions to the same problem. And, while Europe certainly doesn't have all
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