Legalize Pot, But Don’t Normalize It

New York City is reportedly starting a task force to prepare for the full legalization of recreational marijuana, with the mayor now saying that it’s likely to occur “in the near future.” But has the American experiment with pot legalization gone too far? For all my libertarian upbringing, I am starting to take umbrage at a situation where marijuana is sold openly on some streets, “medical” prescriptions in California are ridiculously easy to get, and too many city sidewalks are full of that unmistakable smell. (Hello, San Francisco and Venice Beach!)

To be clear, my fundamental moral view is that no one should ever go to prison for ingesting marijuana or for selling it to others, minors aside. Individuals have a right to do what they wish with their own bodies, provided they are not aggressing on the comparable rights of others. That logic holds for marijuana, and I have been greatly heartened that American opinion has shifted against sending people to prison for marijuana use. It’s discriminatory, and a poor use of scarce prison resources.