If you remember, I’ve written along these same lines many times, the only difference being that I couldn’t care less whether marijuana is legal or not, since I don’t use anymore, and haven’t in over 20 years. I find it rather boring, and do not enjoy the high
(Reason) In two interviews on Saturday, Ted Cruz reiterated his support for marijuana federalism. “Personally,” he told the ABC station in Denver, “I would vote against marijuana legalization. If the state of Texas had a referendum on it, I would vote no. But I think it is the prerogative of the states to make that determination. I think the people of Colorado have the right to make the decision that they’ve made under the Constitution, and as president I would respect that right.”
Talking to The Denver Post the same day, Cruz explained the practical advantages of letting states go their own way. “It is an opportunity for the rest of the country to see what happens here in Colorado, what happens in Washington state, see the states implement the policies,” he said. “If it works well, other states may choose to follow. If it doesn’t work well, other states may choose not to follow.” He said it was too early to say how legalization is going in Colorado.
This is the very essence of federalism: other than the few things expressly delegated to the federal government per the Constitution, issues should be left in the hands of the states, which are much closer to the Citizenry, The People. Which leads to much deeper discussions of what Los Federales should and shouldn’t be doing, Constitutional conventions, repealing the 17th Amendment, and others.
recreational pharmaceuticals are the one area where I really depart from my libertarian ideals. Personally, I do not care if someone fornicates himself up on drugs, and am philosophically inclined to say, “Hey, if you want to mess yourself up, fine, it’s on you, but if you have made yourself unable to hold a job due to your own actions, no welfare for you!”
However, my darling bride (of 36 years, 10 months and 24 days) is a pediatric nurse, and I get the horror stories from the hospital, and she has said that she has never seen a case of child abuse in which drugs and/or (usually and) alcohol were not involved, majorly involved. The simple fact is that the vast majority of adults wind up having to care for children at some points in their lives, and illegal (and sometimes legal) drug use is a huge risk factor for children. I’d like to not only keep drugs illegal, but stiffen the sentences, so that drug dealers are locked away for the rest of their miserable lives, on he first offense, and drug users wind up spending multiple years in prison.
If the Lord were to visit me and say, “Dana, I will give you my power to do one thing,” I would use the Lord’s power to eliminate all mind-altering drugs, including alcohol.