Thousands of people converged on the Boston Common on Saturday to campaign for the legalization of marijuana at the 21st annual Boston Freedom Rally. The peaceful protest has become a staple of fall in Boston, drawing students and adults alike from around the city to lie in the park, listen to live music and, inevitably, get high.
But the Freedom Rally is nowhere near as controversial as it was when it debuted 21 years ago. The vast majority of Bostonians now accept the event without question, signifying an extreme cultural shift that has taken place in the last two decades. Whereas smoking marijuana was once taboo, it is now far more widely accepted, with a majority of the Massachusetts electorate voting to decriminalize possession of small amounts of the substance in 2008 and voters in California preparing to vote on a Proposition 19, a measure that would legalize the sale and use of the drug.
If there is one thing that is clear from attending the rally, it is that the stereotype of the lazy, stupid stoner is just that &- a stereotype, with little basis in fact. The organizers of the event, members of the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition, are just the way you would expect event planners to be &- responsible, organized and professional, proving that believing that it is acceptable to smoke weed doesn't make you a "pothead."
Contrary to the beliefs of those who vehemently oppose the legalization of marijuana, society did not crumble when Massachusetts decriminalized the drug. In reality, many would argue that the measure was good for the state, as it allows police to focus more of their attention on serious issues, such as violent crime, instead of wasting their resources arresting pot-smoking college kids.
The benefits of legalizing marijuana far outweigh the risks. It frees up the police forces and allows the government the possibility of generating more tax revenue. Marijuana should be treated just like alcohol &- illegal for those under a certain age, strictly regulated and punishable if its use leads to criminal consequences.
For people who do not believe in using marijuana, they will still be completely free to not use it without imposing their beliefs on others. For those who do, they should have the right to determine what they do with their own body. The culture surrounding marijuana use is not the same as it was in decades past, with about 40 percent of Americans reporting that they have tried the drug at least once. Massachusetts got with the times two years ago. It is time that the rest of the country followed suit.
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