4 ms·

I've lived in Texas a good while. I think alcohol is completely celebrated here. People consume a lot of alcohol [0]. It's a massive part of every social functi

I've lived in Texas a good while. I think alcohol is completely celebrated here. People consume a lot of alcohol [0]. It's a massive part of every social function and many peoples daily home life. Many have drinking problems. I remember when it was a big problem in terms of the combination of Texas roads & drunk driving. And people carried shotguns & rifles in their vehicles (on display). Now, at that time, we also had a bunch of marijuana and "illegals" from South (which were associated, at least in our minds). We also had a national/universal war on drugs and cartels. Reefer madness was in full effect during my teen years, but as teens, we smoked Mexican brick weed mostly. This, this is the mentality that continues to shape our marijuana policies. Also, Fox News. In good news, Gov. Greg Abbott has recently said he would sign the bill to broaden medical marijuana usage [1]; including for veterans. [0] https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/annual/measure/ExcessDrink/state/TX https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/annual/measur... [1] https://twitter.com/gregabbott_tx/status/1403188569817161730?lang=en https://twitter.com/gregabbott_tx/status/1403188569817161730...

sandworm101 5y ago
The word is race. Many drugs in the US are associated with particular races. America used to get much of its weed from South America, hence it is associated with Mexicans and border smugglers. Conversely, in Canada, weed was once controlled by biker gangs. Bikers gangs being predominantly white organizations, weed in Canada is not now associated with minority groups.
- conductr 5y ago
  Race is intertwined in nearly all American policies but I don’t think it particularly plays a role in why Texas or the South has been slow to legalize/decriminalize marijuana. I think that’s the southern conservative values thing, which does have a racist component. Towing the party line means supporting the war on drugs. I think we look to places that have legalized. Where it’s basically an extension of the craft beer industry and very white, so I think the same would be true here if/when legalized. I don’t see how racism comes into current policy choices. My personal opinion, and I feel like I’ve always been pro legalization, but I don’t like how it’s been done in other states I’ve visited. I don’t want to see a weed shop in every strip center or a green cross on ever billboard. I don’t want my kids seeing that. Just because we do alcohol that way, doesn’t make it the best way. I wish it was behind the counter at a pharmacist or mail order only or something similar. Porn shops and strip clubs are highly zoned to keep it out of neighborhoods here, that could work.

sandworm101 5y ago

The word is race. Many drugs in the US are associated with particular races. America used to get much of its weed from South America, hence it is associated with Mexicans and border smugglers. Conversely, in Canada, weed was once controlled by biker gangs. Bikers gangs being predominantly white organizations, weed in Canada is not now associated with minority groups.

conductr 5y ago
Race is intertwined in nearly all American policies but I don’t think it particularly plays a role in why Texas or the South has been slow to legalize/decriminalize marijuana. I think that’s the southern conservative values thing, which does have a racist component. Towing the party line means supporting the war on drugs. I think we look to places that have legalized. Where it’s basically an extension of the craft beer industry and very white, so I think the same would be true here if/when legalized. I don’t see how racism comes into current policy choices. My personal opinion, and I feel like I’ve always been pro legalization, but I don’t like how it’s been done in other states I’ve visited. I don’t want to see a weed shop in every strip center or a green cross on ever billboard. I don’t want my kids seeing that. Just because we do alcohol that way, doesn’t make it the best way. I wish it was behind the counter at a pharmacist or mail order only or something similar. Porn shops and strip clubs are highly zoned to keep it out of neighborhoods here, that could work.