WORDS MEAN SOMETHING!

2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: 460

Two weeks ago I attended a Reason Foundation Retreat (Great to be with good and caring people!), where one of the highlighted discussions was about Drug Policy Reform. The panelists said numbers of good things on the subject, but they kept referring to the desired goal as being the legalization of drugs. There was not enough time for questions, so I was not able to get the point across to them that I am trying to make to you, which is that Words Mean Something! If you want an example of a legalized drug, think aspirin. Your nine-year-old child could legally buy a case of it at your local store. But none of us want under-age children to have such access to any of the presently illicit substances. Right? So instead we want those substances to be strictly regulated and controlled, like wine and bourbon. So that brings in important things like quality control, age and place of sale restrictions and, of course, taxation.

In that regard, try asking both of these questions when discussing this subject. Question #1: “Would you agree to legalize marijuana?” Frequently the Answer is: “No! Marijuana will harm both our children and other people, so it is better to keep it illegal.” Alternative Question #2: “Would you agree to strictly regulate marijuana like wine?” The frequent Answer: “Sure.” So the second question helps people focus both upon issues of accuracy and upon politics. Why? Because we obviously regulate and control the age restrictions, place of sale and quality control of alcohol, which makes all of it less unsafe than either making it illegal or making it freely available on the open market. So that term is much more accurate. And, politically, regulation and control sounds safer (which it is!), while legalization implies that we condone the use of these mind-altering substances, which often we do not. And another huge issue is quality control! Just look at how quickly and permanently the number of deaths and people becoming blind plunged when the failed policy of Alcohol Prohibition was repealed! And that is not to mention that it put gangsters like Al Capone out of the alcohol distribution business almost immediately – just like it would the various and often vicious Drug Cartels all around the world (who are funded in great part by our illicit drug market!). So please consider the huge differences between the meanings of these terms in your thoughts and your discussions with other people. Our Great Country will be much better off if we all make these distinctions!

(Question for the week from one of my prison correspondents: “What do you call a sleeping male cow?”. Answer: “A bull dozer.”)