The "Economics" of Pot

Photo taken from treehugger.com
By: Chris Valletta

In his article titled "End the War on Pot", Nicholas D. Kristof implores his readers to recognize the flaws in America's drug policies and to take the next step to legalize marijuana. As California has been leading the way for the nation in its policies and regulations regarding medical marijuana, Election Day on Tuesday can give voters in California even more of a chance to further the legalization of marijuana for recreational use. Kristof revolves his argument around pointing out three crucial flaws in America's drug policy:

1. Billions are dollars are lost, where as the money used by legalizing marijuana can go towards schools, libraries, or early childhood education.

2. The family structure of African-Americans has been devastated as a result of how the drug laws are being forced. For example, in Los Angeles blacks are arrested for marijuana possession seven times the rate of whites, yet whites reportedly used marijuana at higher rates than blacks.

3. It creates crime and empowers gangs who control illegal drugs. These gangs are able to make an incredibly large profit on the black market since they are the only suppliers with such a high demand.

Mr. Kim is the owner of a marijuana shop in Los Angeles, who boasts about the 31 flavors of marijuana that he offers to his customers. As Mr. Kim describes marijuana, he exclaims that "It's like a fine wine, cured, aged, and dried" (Kristof 3). This is the only point in the article where pleasure is hinted at in any form, in the last paragraph of the article in a quote. It is also telling that the only reasons that Kristof came up with for the legalization of marijuana were only fiscal and sociological issues, whereas clearly there is a pleasure associated with the effects of getting high from marijuana, but this is completely ignored. Mr. Kim acknowledges the pleasure of marijuana in a subtle way, but his description is one of the main reasons why the legalization of marijuana is discussed, not simply because of its possible economic opportunities. For if marijuana was a substance where people did not receive pleasure from, there would be no discussion at all.

On Election Day this Tuesday, I don't think that voters will have the economics of pot in mind while casting their votes, but rather the pleasurable opportunities that await them will be on the agenda.