7-3 Of bongs and bureaucrats

Drug legalization

Of bongs and bureaucrats

from Jan. 11th 2014 edition 

【京都】開催報告

1/20 7:00-8:00 3名

記事の背景

The first recreational marijuana shops opened in Colorado on January 1st　without any troubles.

The Economist has opposed drug prohibition since 1993. It argues that Marijuana should be legalized, taxed and regulated.

記事の主張

The economist’s position of drug legalization is going to be accepted. So how the government should regulate and tax marijuana is at issue. Too little research has been done on the extent of harm it can do but the information is important to set level of tax rate. Although there are some issues on regulation and taxation, legal marijuana will do less harm than prohibition.

私の意見

This argument sounds too liberal for me. This opinion turns to be reasonable only if marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and tobacco. When we compare these, we should compare not only influences on our body but also social order or virtue.