Pot Crusaders Never Surrendor

Those damn pot crusaders just won't give up. Ever. They seem to think that just because a law doesn't make sense that somehow means it should be overturned, ignored, or both.

At least that's the way California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano sees it.

Ammiano Introduces Marijuana Legalization Bill to the Press

In a nutshell, here's what the bill would do: 'Remove all penalties under California law for the cultivation, transportation, sale, purchase, possession, and use of marijuana, natural THC and paraphernalia by persons over the age of 21,' 'prohibit local and state law enforcement officials from enforcing federal marijuana laws' and establish a fee of $50 an ounce on marijuana on top of whatever pot will cost in a legal future - which legalization advocates say is about half what it costs now. This tax rate figures at about a buck a joint.

We've all heard the reasons. Do we really need to go over them again? We know that pot is safer than alcohol, tobacco, and aspirin. We know that in general potheads are more docile creatures than drunks. We know that the government could tax the hell out of the stuff. We know the courts and prisons have filled up with non-violent drug offenders.

Yet people still oppose legalization. Not Ammio. He's not only should California legalize it, but the state should instruct law enforcement to ignore all federal laws pertaining to pot prohibition. That's rather bold.

Face it. These damn potheads are never going to give up. They will not go away. They are empowered by evidence and facts. While I hate drum circles and tie-dyes as much as the next beer drinking American, the day will come when pot is legal. This time? I give it a 15% chance because I'm in such a lovely mood without the aid of cannabis.

Then again if I were high I probably wouldn't put forth the effort to bitch about such insanities all the time.* My ten daily martinis tend to put the angry in the blood.

* That's a hint to the FBI agents who shadow me.