Yesterday was a triumphant day for medical marijuana legislation. Connecticut's House passed their bill 89 to 58, and Rhode Island cleared the "final procedural hurdle" with 51 out of 75 votes. I feel like a sports announcer. Of course, we all remember when Vermont won the championship in 2004, joining Maine in the Medical Marijuana Hall of Fame. CT and RI's legislation come as welcome victories in the wake of NH's crushing defeat this past Spring.
And how 'bout them Red Sox? Well, Massachusetts' Lyle Craker is bringing his game to the DEA, backed by Senators Kerry and Kennedy. Our all-star team continues to struggle against the federal government's foul-ridden offensive. I propose that when we win, we launch a victory parade of greater magnitude than the Pats and the Sox combined. Oh yes. That will be one hell of a wicked pissah paahty.
I find the medical marijuana issue somewhat refreshing in that ailments such as AIDS and cancer, sadly but truly, affect people from all walks of life. It's not just a problem that affects youth, nor is it heavily concentrated around poor and/or minority communities that privileged folk often fail to understand. This is a drug policy issue that, if approached delicately, and granted she's alive and well and sane, you can successfully discuss with your grandmother. Your thirty-second sales pitch need not be catered to different customers. It's simply, "People hurt. Marijuana heals. Give hurting people marijuana. Uh-oh! People get arrested! Change marijuana laws. That's better. Almost - pesky federal government." Ideally, lawmakers would see every issue clearly without the blinders of privilege, but at least these successes show that they're not completely blind. And maybe, since we're awesome, our work on this issue can open their eyes to other injustices of the War on Drugs. Game on.
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