The battle for the legalization of marijuana is being fought in many states across the country, and Washington DC. With a recreational use bill being voted on so close to the white house and steps to the capital, the reaction of the Senate and President should become apparent on the day of the election. President Obama might have already hinted at the stance of his administration when he selected Vanita Gupta to replace Eric Holder in the Department of Justice (DOJ.)
Vanita Gupta has a long track record working with the ACLU working against the over criminalization problem, focusing especially on over represented minorities suffering from overly severe penalties. Many of those individuals are non-violent marijuana users. She is well liked by both sides of the aisle and has already said that at least, marijuana should be decriminalized. Hopefully she will make good on what Eric Holder said about the classification of marijuana if he does not do it himself, and we can begin a new rational era of drug policy.
A Rational Compassionate Voice
She knows that the war on drugs, especially marijuana has been a failure thus far. Citing the case in Missouri where a man was sentenced a life sentence for purchasing 7 pounds of marijuana; Ms. Gupta has been out spoken against severe sentences for non-violent crimes. Many are hailing her because she is the first sign that there will be some form of federal policy change if Gupta’s views on the war on drugs dictate the decisions she makes in the DOJ.
Depending on how the coming 24 months go for Marijuana laws in states across the country, the executive branch will be forced to respond to the vastly changed landscape of local marijuana laws that are at odds with federal policy. Perhaps at the end of his presidency, Barrack Obama will be the first person to smoke a big marijuana blunt of some in the oval office. Assuming it has not already been done of course. He would probably go with some White Rhino bred by Green House Seed Co.
A Fresh Round of Votes
The best case scenario leaves 50% of the nation with some form of legal marijuana policy are it medical and recreational. Not to mention, it would be a little hypocritical for a congressman to be able to buy, sell and consume marijuana in the District of Columbia, while still supporting a federal policy which would imprison most citizens for possession of marijuana and tie up the legal and prison system of the United States more than it already is.
