In Obama’s first term, the federal government moved against medical marijuana retailers even where states had declared it legal. Photograph: Alamy
Friday 16 November 2012
Marijuana legalisation ballots signal how public opinion is turning against the prohibition policy that needlessly filled US prisons
One of the more surprising results of last week’s election was the decision by voters in Colorado and Washington state to legalize marijuana for adult use. The success of both these ballot initiatives has been welcomed by many as a signal that we are about to enter a more enlightened phase in the “war on drugs”, which has criminalized drug addicts and recreational drug users, as well as drug dealers.
In reality, however, there is little reason to believe that any fundamental change in government policy is in the works. In fact, if the last four years have been anything to go by, then, despite its rhetoric to the contrary, the Obama administration is on track to, at the very least, maintain the status quo on the war on drugs and possibly make things worse.
In April of this year, the Obama administration issued its “21st-Century Drug Policy Strategy“, dubbed an innovative new approach to our nation’s drug problem, emphasizing treatment over punishment.
