This will probably go under the radar, with Rove, Clement, etc., but I was surprised to read today that Attorney General Gonzales has
significantly changed the direction of America's War on Drugs.
Gonzales Cites Progress in Meth Fight
"In terms of damage to children and to our society, meth is now the most dangerous drug in America, having surpassed marijuana," Gonzales said.
The United States has been fighting the War on Marijuana for 70 years, and is rapidly approaching the day when more than 50% of the population will have tried the drug (it's currently estimated around 40%, with sharp correlation to age). For years, the government has continually attacked marijuana, calling it a gateway drug, naming it the greatest danger to children, all because it is by far the most widely used illegal drug. So for decades, the War on Drugs has been the War on Marijuana.
Then came the medical marijuana movement, the decriminalization movement, and the "outings" of politicians like Newt Gingrich, Bill Clinton, and Clarence Thomas. Now we're at the point where politicians freely admit its usage; the main three Democrats running for president (Kerry, Edwards, and Dean) all admitted to marijuana use. So did our last presidential candidate, Al Gore. Our current president has all but admitted to it as well. When questioned, Joe Lieberman said, "I'm used to giving unpopular answers in Democratic circles" and said no. Kucinich said no, but "It should be legalized".
Marijuana has permeated our country to such an extent that to truly enforce the laws against it would involve jailing near half the damn country. And no one seems to have the stomach for that, as polls regularly show that Americans would prefer fines or probation over jail sentences for marijuna. Support for full decriminalization is edging up to 35% (in Canada and the UK, support is close to 50%). As for medical usage, support surges to over 70% in America. You know attitudes are changing when a proposition to entirely decriminalize marijuana for 21+ year olds in the very red state of Alaska garners 44%. It won't be long until one of those propositions passes in Massachusetts, Nevada, or Vermont.
The government is finally realizing it has lost the War on Marijuana, and focusing its efforts on more dangerous substances like methamphetamine, which is used by a far smaller percentage of Americans. This is great news, and unexpected during a Republican administration. We still have a long way to go before we have true privacy and control over our own bodies, but the only way we can get there is step by step. The opponents to freedom can only ignore the wave of public opinion for so long.