Pot Tolerance Grows

Pundit reaction suggests legalizing marijuana may not be political suicide after all

If Hot Air's Ed Morrissey and Salon's Glenn Greenwald are trading jabs over the relocation of Chinese Uighurs or calling each other hypocrites, it's a good day. Otherwise, the two ideologically-opposed pundits could be arguing over torture, which right-leaning Morrissey has said "works," and liberal Greenwald has referred to as a "profound assault on our national character." And yet, when Obama's Department of Justice announced Monday that it will no longer prosecute users or growers of medical marijuana in states where the practice is legal, the two commentators finally saw eye to eye. They celebrated the administration's decision as a victory for states' rights, and they weren't the only ones. Across the spectrum, pundits were happy to see federalism working its magic on the liberalization of pot laws. Their celebratory reaction suggests that legalizing marijuana may no longer political suicide be the political suicide it once was.

Ed Morrissey, Hot Air:

In a shocking move, the Obama administration has decided to embrace federalism.

[...]It also holds some promise as the first step in reviewing the war on the herb that costs us billions of dollars and infringes on personal liberties while attempting to protect us from ourselves — and a product less lethal than alcohol.  Maybe we can finally have a rational debate on at least this front of the “war on drugs,” which has done more damage to federalism than Democrats or Republicans combined.

Glenn Greenwald, Salon:

This is one of those rare instances of unadulterated good news from Washington.

[...]Beyond the tangible benefits to patients and providers, there is the issue of states' rights.  Fourteen states have legalized medical marijuana, many by referendum.

[...]The War on Drugs is the pernicious precursor to the War on Terror in so many ways, beginning with the relentless erosion of civil liberties; endless expansions of federal powers of detention, surveillance and militarized involvement in other countries; and a general pretext for remaining in an endless "war" posture.