The Super Bowl becomes more than a game, its about policy change.
For many avid sports fans, this upcoming weekend has a whole new meaning beyond football, beer, commercials, and halftime shows. This year, the two teams meeting at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey bring with them supporters as well as ample opposition to the legalization of marijuana. The Denver Broncos from Colorado and the Seattle Seahawks from Washington hail from the only two states that have approved the recreational sale and use of cannabis. Colorado’s law went into effect January 1st with a projected $67 million in tax revenue for the year, and Washington is not far behind. However, what does this mean for our nation’s drug policy and how will it affect the rest of the world?
It has been widely questioned as to whether the federal government would get involved with the states establishing such laws, and so far, the federal government has sat on the sidelines to observe this pot tax prototype. Last week, Attorney General Eric Holder stated that the Department of Justice and the Treasury Department were working together to come up with a solution to establish a clear avenue for banks to handle the revenue created by the new marijuana market. Under federal law, marijuana is still considered illegal due to the Controlled Substance Act, which has put cannabis facilities at a slight disadvantage because financial establishments cannot accept deposits from such businesses. By establishing a clear, legal financial system for banks and cannabis retail establishments to use, the marijuana industry becomes safer as well as changes regulation and legalities associated with the plant.
Additionally, polls have shown increased support of the decriminalization and legalization of marijuana in the United States. Over the years, the War on Drugs has become more of a mockery in the face of the justice system and there has been a shift in perspective toward a more sensible drug policy. Last Thursday, Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) met with Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, and former United Nations Secretary, General Kofi Annan, among others, at the World Economic Forum to discuss drug control policy. While Governor Perry does not support the legalization of marijuana use, he has voiced his support for the continued use of drug courts, which serve as alternatives to “imprisonment for some low-level offenders that often involves treatment.”
Around the world, more and more governments are realizing that more viable options to strict drug policies are available with Colorado and Washington leading the way. The War on Drugs, since the beginning, has been an uphill battle for government and many Americans who suffer in some fashion from the stringent laws. This is not to say that what Colorado and Washington are doing is perfect in any sense, but they are creating the model to follow if drugs such as marijuana are to be considered useful for both recreational and medical uses. If successful, the future may be a lot different in relation to drug policy and how administrators will handle the use of drugs in the workplace. As for the Super Bowl, I am cheering for the Broncos.
Listed below are sources referenced for this post.
Feds To Issue Banking Guidelines
Majority of Americans support efforts to legalize marijuana
Rick Perry And Colombian President Discuss Drug Decriminalization
SFA PBA Rocks 