The attitude towards marijuana has changed a great deal since the days of Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign in the 1980s, which was an escalation in Nixon’s war on black people. Several states in the US have legalized recreational marijuana and more are considering it. A bipartisan bill was introduced in Congress to let states decide for themselves whether to legalize it, and Trump says he supports it. (Poor little Jeff Sessions!) The entire country of Canada is going to legalize it.
But there are still a few people who want to force their belief that marijuana is a killer on everyone else. In addition to Jeff Sessions, former oxycontin addict Patrick Kennedy (son of Ted Kennedy) says weed “destroys the brain and expedites psychosis.” (Patrick’s attitude seems to be “I was addicted to heroin so people should be punished for smoking pot.” He also greatly profits from opioid-addiction firms so it’s in his financial interest to sing the dangers of all drugs.) Another weed foe is casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson, who has made billions of dollars selling alcohol and wiping out people’s savings taking their money at his gambling tables.
This episode of Kurzgesagt — In a Nutshell takes a “fair look at some of the best counter arguments for legalization and see how they hold up in review.” If you’re on the fence about marijuana legalization, it’s worth watching.