Washington and Colorado legalized the recreational use of marijuana, on the state level, in November 2012, and eight former DEA agents have urged the federal government to take action to prevent this from happening. They want president Barack Obama to sue the two states, which will keep them from writing the laws, because it’s illegal on the federal level.

The main concern from these officers is that it will create a domino effect with the rest of the states, and they don’t want that. They are worried that if the Department of Justice fails to do anything, these laws will be in place by the end of the year. 

I hope they don’t sue and that the laws pass, at least on the state level. It’s a start, and the more states that follow, the more likely it will be legalized federally some day soon. I think that we should legalize it as soon as possible, not only so the state and government could tax it and make money, but also so the jails and prisons can clear out a bit. 

Not to mention the medical uses for marijuana could be explored more than they are now, and maybe we could learn more about the plant and it’s positive uses.  More positive uses could be the fact that the hemp plant is useful for much more than smoking it. It’s good for paper, clothing, oil and many other things that have nothing to do with getting high. For more about the uses of hemp, check out this informative website, informationdistillery.com/hemp.htm.

Although the article discusses that these DEA agents are worried these laws will spread from state to state, they never discuss why they don’t want marijuana legalized. My question is, why should we care what former DEA agents think? My thinking is that they are older, retired and from a different generation. Why would we listen to people who want to take a step backward when Washington and Colorado are trying to take steps forward? I think we should focus on what younger people are saying and how they feel because we are the ones who these laws will affect the most. 

The article just wasn’t convincing to me. One agent is quoted at the end saying that this is a ‘no-brainer’ and that a lawsuit should have been filed by now. Maybe it’s a no-brainer for him but other people might want to think about both sides of the coin and not just one. It’s people like this that I don’t think should be part of the decision making process, it seems like he is stuck in his ways, not open to change.

The article can be found at cjonline.com/news/2013-03-05/ex-dea-chiefs-feds-should-nullify-state-pot-laws. I just think we should be open to new ideas and at least try them out before acting like it’s the worst idea in the world.