Gavin Newsom Explains Why Lawmakers Shouldn’t Be Neutral On Marijuana Legalization

Gavin Newsom Explains Why Lawmakers Shouldn’t Be Neutral On Marijuana Legalization

Published on 7/28/16

Speaking at the Democratic National Convention this week, Gavin Newsom exclaims his support for legalizing recreational marijuana and why other lawmakers should be joining him. Newsom points out the issues with prohibition today and how young people have far more access to marijuana than alcohol due to lack of regulation. He follows by saying, “you don’t have to be pro-marijuana to be anti-prohibition,” citing his wife as someone who does not support legalization. The future of legal marijuana is inevitable as over half have access to medical marijuana, 4 states have recreational marijuana, and several more, including california, will be voting to legalize marijuana in November. Newsom wants other legislators to join him in standing up for legal marijuana as a proper solution to revoke power from  cartels, keep drugs away from young people, and lessen the unnecessary hardships prohibition has brought to communities of color.

“How do you justify the current conditions?” Newsom asked. “For me, you can’t be neutral here. This is a social justice issue. It’s an economic justice issue. It’s a racial justice issue. People need to step up, either come out vehemently against it with a better alternative, explain away the status quo because you’re complicit in it society becomes how we behave or come on board.” 

The benefits to legalization, Newsom argued, are manifold: reducing the influence of drug cartels, creating stronger regulations to prevent underage kids from easily buying weed, mitigating the harmful effects of prohibition on communities of color. 

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