4 ms·

I'm from a typically red state. I'm fairly conservatarian, I wouldn't mind if pot was legal. But pro-legalization groups often talk about it as if legalized pot

I'm from a typically red state. I'm fairly conservatarian, I wouldn't mind if pot was legal. But pro-legalization groups often talk about it as if legalized pot was completely void of negative externalities. And that is wrong. It is fair to argue that the negative effects of criminalization take a larger toll on the public than legalization. But chronic marijuana use makes you stupid. Like, really, really fucking stupid. And that isn't good either. I think the legalization movement would serve itself best in convincing red states to legalize pot as well if it was open about the fact that there are bad things about pot, and making an argument of societal harm reduction. Not harm elimination.

millzlane 6y ago
Some argue it makes you stupid. But there are plenty of chronic users who prove otherwise. Alcohol kills more gray and white matter than Cannabis. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.13923 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.13923 I think abuse of any substance will have negative effects. But the casual use of one substance is clearly far more safer on the body and society than the other.
eyelidlessness 6y ago
The “chronic use makes you stupid” take is um... pretty wrong. But the “convincing red states” take is off the charts wrong. There is no regard for harm reduction logic in conservative politics that isn’t already part of the conservative platform. Guns? Sure, “if you outlaw guns only outlaws will have guns”. Drugs? Only the ones that are already legal. Safe injection sites? Enabling addicts. Abortion? Baby murder. Sex work? Sin and depravity. Acknowledging racism? Racist itself! Holding police accountable in any way? Riots and looting! Masks? I will literally make up fake science because real science is tyranny! My goodness. Edit: of course there’s room for all of these in big-L Libertarian politics, but... the party has less significant sway in any red state I’m aware of (they’ve had more success in blue NM?), and at the membership level the party seems to be more successful in funneling angry white dudes into the alt right than convincing conservatives to actually care about personal liberties when those liberties might be shared by everyone and help reduce power disparities.

millzlane 6y ago

Some argue it makes you stupid. But there are plenty of chronic users who prove otherwise. Alcohol kills more gray and white matter than Cannabis. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.13923 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.13923 I think abuse of any substance will have negative effects. But the casual use of one substance is clearly far more safer on the body and society than the other.

eyelidlessness 6y ago

The “chronic use makes you stupid” take is um... pretty wrong. But the “convincing red states” take is off the charts wrong. There is no regard for harm reduction logic in conservative politics that isn’t already part of the conservative platform. Guns? Sure, “if you outlaw guns only outlaws will have guns”. Drugs? Only the ones that are already legal. Safe injection sites? Enabling addicts. Abortion? Baby murder. Sex work? Sin and depravity. Acknowledging racism? Racist itself! Holding police accountable in any way? Riots and looting! Masks? I will literally make up fake science because real science is tyranny! My goodness. Edit: of course there’s room for all of these in big-L Libertarian politics, but... the party has less significant sway in any red state I’m aware of (they’ve had more success in blue NM?), and at the membership level the party seems to be more successful in funneling angry white dudes into the alt right than convincing conservatives to actually care about personal liberties when those liberties might be shared by everyone and help reduce power disparities.