Did you catch any of the Ken Burns PBS series on Prohibition? I wish I could have seen more, but what I did see reminded me of the ridiculous lengths society will go to protect us from ourselves. Shortly after World War I, a constitutional amendment prohibited the sale of alcohol. While initially curbing consumption, this drove an entire business underground and fueled gang violence. The experiment is considered a failure, and the legal and regulated sale of liquor returned in the 1930s. Yes, alcohol had destroyed entire families and communities through the years and the temperance movement may have meant well, but Americans resented being told what they couldn't do. Overall, most people do not have a big problem handling liquor. Alcoholics Anonymous arrived in the thirties to help those who did have trouble handling alcohol. The use - and problem - were brought out of hiding. Liquor revenues could be taxed. Liquor content could be consistently controlled. Does alcohol still destroy some lives? Of course, but no one is calling for a return to the Prohibition days. Soon after Prohibition's repeal, politicians and others decided to target marijuana use. demonizing those who abused or even moderately used it. Can anyone explain to me why this is so different from liquor? Has the attempt at zero tolerance ever worked when the illegal profits and insatiable demand prompt so many people to resort to smuggling pot into this country any way they can? We are hypocritical as a society when we condemn one drug while promoting the use of so many other drugs in commercials all over the evening news. Someday we can at least have an open conversation about it. In the meantime, mixed messages are everywhere as leaders "talk tough" about sending a message against any use of pot. Get real. 
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Zero Tolerance
Did you catch any of the Ken Burns PBS series on Prohibition? I wish I could have seen more, but what I did see reminded me of the ridiculous lengths society will go to protect us from ourselves. Shortly after World War I, a constitutional amendment prohibited the sale of alcohol. While initially curbing consumption, this drove an entire business underground and fueled gang violence. The experiment is considered a failure, and the legal and regulated sale of liquor returned in the 1930s. Yes, alcohol had destroyed entire families and communities through the years and the temperance movement may have meant well, but Americans resented being told what they couldn't do. Overall, most people do not have a big problem handling liquor. Alcoholics Anonymous arrived in the thirties to help those who did have trouble handling alcohol. The use - and problem - were brought out of hiding. Liquor revenues could be taxed. Liquor content could be consistently controlled. Does alcohol still destroy some lives? Of course, but no one is calling for a return to the Prohibition days. Soon after Prohibition's repeal, politicians and others decided to target marijuana use. demonizing those who abused or even moderately used it. Can anyone explain to me why this is so different from liquor? Has the attempt at zero tolerance ever worked when the illegal profits and insatiable demand prompt so many people to resort to smuggling pot into this country any way they can? We are hypocritical as a society when we condemn one drug while promoting the use of so many other drugs in commercials all over the evening news. Someday we can at least have an open conversation about it. In the meantime, mixed messages are everywhere as leaders "talk tough" about sending a message against any use of pot. Get real. 
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