New York Times Calls for Legalization of Marijuana

Mediaite.com:

The New York Times editorial board announced the beginning of a six-part series Saturday evening calling for the legalization of marijuana, characterizing it as the 21st century’s version of prohibition, and just as in need of repeal. No word on responses from buzzkill columnists David Brooks and Maureen Dowd.

“We believe that on every level — health effects, the impact on society and law-and-order issues — the balance falls squarely on the side of national legalization,” the board wrote. “That will put decisions on whether to allow recreational or medicinal production and use where it belongs — at the state level.”

The Times’ arguments will be familiar to anyone who’s argued this issue before: research suggests the health effects from marijuana are present but hardly debilitating, and certainly less disastrous than the laws passed against it. The board said legalization should be for people 21 years and up.

“We recognize that this Congress is as unlikely to take action on marijuana as it has been on other big issues,” the board concluded. “But it is long past time to repeal this version of Prohibition.”

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