Sound Advice From Hollywood!

No, really...

Actor Michael Douglas has made a statement supporting the legalisation of marijuana in the United States. His argument is based on several levels: one, he points out, rightly, that the Federal and State Governments made an excellent profit on the sales of alcohol after the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment (a.k.a. Prohibition) in 1933; and two, the present illegality of marijuana is fostering the presence of organised crime and violent gangs, as had occurred during the Prohibition Era in the U.S.

Mr. Douglas' points are both very valid, and are ones that we ourselves have used in arguing the validity of marijuana legalisation. Taking alcohol sales as an example, there are numerous states in the Union (Michigan and New Hampshire, among others) which own outright the alcohol sales business. The revenue off of this business is enormous, and represents a sizable portion of funds incoming to the state's coffers.

The additional benefits of marijuana legalisation would be a serious reduction of the number of non-violent prisoners who serves under marijuana-related convictions. Release of these individuals would significantly reduce the pressure on the United States' already-vast penal system. Legalisation would also break the back of those gangs and crime organisations which thrive upon the sale of marijuana, thereby increasing the safety of the average American city. These two changes would save untold amounts of money, which would be very helpful indeed in the Depression.

However, legalisation will likely not be happening under President Obama: he has already made his position clear, and it is an emphatic "no." This may seem surprising to those who expected the President to bring about deep changes to the American system, but in our minds it is further evidence that Mr. Obama is the Herbert Hoover of the 2007 Depression (President Hoover was a supporter of Prohibition; it took until the Franklin Roosevelt Administration until the Era was over).

Perhaps the President after Mr. Obama will help legalise marijuana. We feel that would be a happy thing; there are already too many people in prison for using an herb, which is arbitrarily found to be, somehow, less desirable than alcohol or ordinary tobacco products. On the other hand, if this next President is to be the Franklin Roosevelt of the 2007 Depression, there will be other consequences that are not something we look forward to.