Will Commercialization Deliver Social Justice?
On the surface, legalizing marijuana might sound like a good way to address issues of systemic injustice. People of color are almost 6 times more likely to be arrested for all drugs, including marijuana, than whites.
We need a holistic approach that addresses the causes – not just the symptoms – of injustice. Removing criminal penalties for marijuana possession as part of a comprehensive marijuana policy is a must. Legalization, however, goes too far and creates a multi-billion dollar industry whose impact exacerbates many of the underlying contributors to systemic injustice.
The emerging data from states that have tried legalization offer three main reasons why legalization should be opposed as a tool for social justice:
Incarceration. Commercialization. Reformation.
What Leaders and Activists are Saying
