Meanwhile , the new players in town want one thing . Take marijuana off the damn schedule and let capitalism sort out the rest . I ’ m good with that . Finally , we ’ ll get the horse in front of the cart .
The States Reform Act is brilliant in its simplicity . It calls for removal of cannabis from the DEA schedule , releasing Federal cannabis prisoners , leveling a straight 3 % federal tax on marijuana , and putting marijuana in the hands of the department of Alcohol — no one under 21 , except children who need it for medicine . That ’ s it , with no state interference , meaning individual states can continue their cannabis prohibition if they so desire .
Our first battle will be with cannabis enemy # 1 today , the Police Unions , who were not even an honorable mention a decade ago . To the tune of $ 45 million in 2021 , massive federal drug war grants finance state police budgets and encourage the police to double down on the cannabis wars even in “ legal ” states . We can eliminate this opponent by a simple restructuring of federal funding . That $ 45 million in drug war incentive could be better spent on social workers and rehab centers instead of new automatic weapons and battering rams . Wouldn ’ t it be nice not to get a stomachache every time we see a cop ?
For me , trying to wrap my head around this , it all comes back to Faith Salie ’ s trip to Belize for The CBS Sunday Morning Show to investigate ants with biologist and ant enthusiast Mark Moffett ( I mentioned this topic in my November 2021 article if you want to review it ). The show is on YouTube , and I highly recommend watching it for those who hope to be a change agent while they walk this lifetime .
Hey guys ...
Wait Up !
The ants are the “ Modern Society ” author Sebastian Junger talks about in Tribe . The mindless , relatively brainless , slow but so efficient ants . Ants that follow the biggest , loudest leader with the stinkiest butt ( literally ), biggest feet , and biggest head , never looking in either direction from the trail they are on , keeping social norms regardless of the collateral damage to the tribe .
We just have to be grateful the big-butted ants of AFP and ALEC suddenly like the smell of cannabis . One thing we know about the Brothers Koch , their pacs , and their conservative think tanks ; they are surgically efficient . Action should not take long now — hopefully in about 20 minutes .
Dolores Montgomery Halbin , RN , BSN , and Ordained Nurse Minister resides in SW Missouri . After her husband passed in 2015 , she retired from nursing . She worked with the 2014-2018 Missouri campaigns for legalized medical marijuana . She continues as a cannabis reform activist volunteering with Canna Convict Project and working toward Federal decriminalization through educational speaking and freelance journalism . Dolores Halbin ,
doloreshalbin @ gmail . com .