Will recreational marijuana pass in Illinois or will wisdom prevail?
The Chicago Tribune Article on Sunday April 23, 2017, How Illinois can learn more about marijuana, gave an informative pro and con about legalizing recreational marijuana issue now being considered it the Illinois Senate. The cartoon picture that accompanies the article is the subject of this post.
The cartoon portrays three images of the various viewpoints and considerations on the issue along with a question I add about “at whose expense.”
Libertarians
“People have the right to put whatever they choose into their bodies.”
Science
“More studies are needed.”
Politicians
“Tax Revenue! Tax Revenue! Tax Revenue!
Issues
Libertarians preach free choice. However, there is a proven saying. “Nothing is Free.” For example, if someone makes a free choice to smoke, in the future they will suffer the long term effects and require medical care which is not free.
Science already knows that smoking is a detriment to health and affects brain function. Science already knows that marijuana is a gateway drug for certain susceptible type of people. Maybe not all, but some. There is presently an opium epidemic in the USA.
Politicians in the USA History have proven they do not make wise decisions and only concern themselves with solving immediate concerns and not future concerns. For example, how did the USA accumulate Twenty trillion dollars in National Debt? In the USA, politicians want affordable and even free medical care for everyone regardless of the wise or foolish choices they may make in their lives which are detrimental to their health.
Laws
Is it wise to pass a law that is unenforceable? For example, police have no way to determine proof that a driver in a car accident was caused by someone on drugs. Is it wise or fair to subject all Illinois drivers to a higher risk on already dangerous roadways?
King Solomon
” He who winks his eye is planning intrigue; he who purses his lips has completed mischief. (Proverb 16:30)
Excerpt
He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.
He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things,…. Or “perverse” or “contrary things” (r); he shuts his eyes, that his thoughts might not be disturbed and distracted by visible objects, but might be more free and composed, and intent upon the things he is meditating and devising; or he shuts his eyes against light, against Scripture evidence, which he does not care to come to, lest his principles and practices should be reproved; he shuts his eyes, and will not look into the Scriptures, that he may form and devise schemes of doctrine and worship contrary to them. Some render it, he winks with his eyes, as in Proverbs 6:13; so the Targum; he gives the hint thereby to his companions, when is the proper time to circumvent an innocent person, and to put in execution the scheme he had devised;( Gils Bible Exposition)
In My Opinion
Illinois politicians will shut their eyes on this issue and pass the law.
However, if a provision that all users who purchase recreational marijuana is require to display a driver license. This would help to identify they are a recreational marijuana user, a policeman can record how many car accidents occur by drivers who use marijuana, or over time become hard core drug addicts. I doubt the recreational marijuana law will be passed if this is required.
Also if all medical insurers of recreational marijuana users are allowed to charge an extra premium to cover their higher medical costs in the future, the law may not pass.
As for fairness and justice in the USA, is it fair that people who live a healthy lifestyle and live longer than people who by free choice choose to die early, have to pay equal insurance rates.
You Decide
Is it fair and just that because a wise person will live longer, they will in time pay more insurance premiums just because they make free choices to live longer? That is hopefully they will live longer if they do not get killed or maimed in an automobile accident by someone who is on a “recreational high.”
Regards and goodwill blogging.
Sources
Chicago Tribune HERE
Gils BibleHub HERE
Wow Shazam HERE
Rudy u Martinka 
Interesting take on the issue. Following your line of reasoning, alcohol and tobacco should be legally banned as well. If we are going to take the position that substances are potentially very harmful and will prove to be a drain on the health care system down the line, then they all need to be banned by law. But wait! We already did that with alcohol Prohibition in the 1920s – all that did was spark the growth in wealth and power of organized crime. Legal bans have a long history of failure when it comes to recreational substances. Before you jump all over politicians who see the benefits of increased revenue from legalized marijuana sales, remember that it’s the drug lords who will lose a lot of wealth as a result. You’d rather those cutthroats continue to enjoy their profits and grow in power? Really? Personally, I’d like for none of these substances to exist, but they do. Some States and Canada are legalizing marijuana because it is the lesser evil choice.
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By using your logic that we already know the ill effects of alcohol in our society, we will agree to add more problems in our society.
We also know that legal marijuana that will be sold legally will cost more than illegal sellers because taxes will be added. Drug price competition has already occur ed in Colorado by illegal sellers cutting their prices and buyers continuing to buy cheaper priced marijuana.
Consider my suggestion of recording marijuana users on drivers licenses and higher insurance premiums. Is it fair and just? If so, will politicians add the recording requirements?
Why not record all purchases of liquors and drugs and then make users pay to play instead of allowing wiser people have to pay for other peoples foolish choices?
Thanks for your comment. It helps if everyone expresses their views rather than politicians, who prefer to only listen to the views who contribute to their election campaigns, and more likely to benefit from the laws that are passed even if the laws are short term fixes rather than long term solutions.
Regards and goodwill blogging..
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You are assuming that the legalization of a substance will increase its use. I’m not convinced of that. But I am convinced that laws that fill the coffers of criminals are not solving the problem. There are no sure-fire or easy answers to this issue.
Certainly, there will be illegal competition due to price differentials. Taxes can be adjusted or eliminated. Again, no easy fix.
I think it is quite dangerous for citizens in a democracy to paint all politicians as stupid and corrupt. That’s the kind of thinking that got Trump elected. He’s an extremist with an itchy finger on the world’s most formidable military trigger. We need to be prudent about our choices and then make sure that elected officials are held accountable every day. Look what Trump is doing – he denigrates the US Press every single day and undermines public trust in an institution that has always been the watchdog that politicians had to respect. Another instance of painting a group of people with the same “fake news” brush. It is dangerous and can lead only to disaster. Why did people in Nazi Germany turn a blind eye? Racism, anger about the economy, distrust of politicians, and fear – all combined to allow a monster to wreak havoc on Europe and the world.
Personally, I don’t have a stake in the marijuana issue. I’ve never used it and don’t plan to. But I do care about how issues like this are handled in a democratic state. Discriminatory insurance premiums is illegal – exactly the same thing as charging higher rates to African Americans, women, Muslims, or any other group we might care to pick on. If I have a car accident or a house claim – ok, I pay a higher premium.
I will never condone conclusions that characterize all members of a group as having the same motivations or exhibiting the same behaviors. If you don’t like your elected representatives, vote them out… but do that prudently. I hate it when people get so turned off that they decide not to vote at all. That spells death for democracy and freedom. History teaches us what the alternative is. Unfortunately, Plato’s “Philosopher King” – the enlightened ruler has never been seen on this planet. Besides, does ‘enlightened’ mean the same thing to disgruntled people who voted for Trump and people like me? Not likely.
Nice debate! Enjoy your day!
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If you lived in Illinois, I believe you might not be as trusting of your views of politicians. I concur not all politicians are the same league as Illinois, thankfully.
I and many in.illinois vote regardless of knowing the csndidate of our. choice has no. chance. of winning
As for Trump, the main. reason he won is. people got sick and. tired of empty suit politicians] in.my opinion.
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