McconnellBeaver703
The war being waged for marijuana's legal acceptance in the usa has a new battleground nowadays. Media has decidedly been the tool of prohibitionist since the very earliest days of "The Fight against Drugs". Who are able to forget Nancy Reagan's unforgettable "Just Say No" campaign of the Reagan era. "This is the brain, here's your brain on drugs" saw the 1990's Clinton administration frying eggs for that desired effect of scaring children straight. These days, you're "Above the Influence" and asked to not follow the crowd. What message is media sending to the adults of Twenty-first century, the generations these messages of history were aimed at?
What do Time Magazine, The country Magazine, The la Times, The New York Times and MSNBC all share? All these pillars of information distribution have dedicated time and space to the point of legal marijuana in California along with other areas of the country. This news pieces under consideration aren't in Nancy Reagan's words or point of view, however. The main difference in opinion is really as vast as you possibly can since mass media has determined that the legitimate argument can be made for that abolishment of marijuana prohibition as well as for legalization of cannabis.
The country Magazine's December 27th 2010 edition cover features the caption "D.A.R.E. to finish the Fight against Drugs". Using the logo of Drug Abuse Resistance Education with discretion on the point, D.A.R.E. is self described as "giving kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence." The article "Altered State: California's Pot Economy" by Sasha Abramsky, analyzes the way forward for distribution and packaging of legal cannabis in California. The impact that is possible on tourism for the Golden State later on if recreational marijuana is legalized is discussed in addition to analyses on why Proposition 19 failed and what must happen for future referendums to pass.
The brand new York Times on November 13th 2010 published articles entitled "Backers of Legal Marijuana Find Silver Lining in Defeat of California Measure" that went into great detail on which the problems were that led to the defeat of Proposition 19 on November 2nd. A conflict of ideology among the generations and also the lack of the predicted large turn out of younger voters were the main issues related to the defeat from the proposition. Based on the NY Times, the primary reasons Prop 19 didn't pass were the measure was a "jumbled, legal nightmare" and questioned estimates from the potential tax revenue that legalization will bring in. The Times also acknowledged the Proposition did not prosper in Los Angeles (47%) or with the older voters, especially that of older Latinos, a heavy voting block in Los angeles.
The la Times, within an article published on December 16, 2010 and entitled "One Toke Over The Line", takes on Federal government insurance policy for legal marijuana especially R. Gil Kerlikowske, the Obama administration's drug czar. Mr Kerlikowske, in reaction to an annual survery that determined that teen marijuana consumption is on the rise among eighth through 12th-graders, was quoted as saying "Mixed messages about drug legalization, particularly marijuana, could be to blame. Such messages certainly don't help parents who are attempting to prevent kids by using drugs."
The la Times editorial went on to argue Kerlikowske's point by citing another survey by the Congressional Research Service whose April 2010 findings examined studies comparing teen pot smoking in states with and without medicinal marijuana laws. No connection between such laws and drug use was found. "Concerns that medical cannabis laws send the incorrect message to vulnerable groups such as adolescents appear to be unfounded," it stated.
Time Magazine jumped in to the fray using its November 22nd 2010 cover story entitled "The United States of Amerijuana" complete with a huge burning joint around the cover of the magazine and also the caption "Legalization went in smoke, but 'medicinal pot' went mainstream". The 10 page article, filled with pictures, covers issues such as culinary arts in cannabis and how vernacular in the market is different from 'smoking pot' to 'medicate', 'dealers' are actually 'caregivers' and the buyers in need are "patients" and never "users". The article goes on to compare marijuana like a hot commodity in certain areas of the country different color leaves as wine, dark chocolate and artisanal cheese.
Finally, even MSNBC, one of the largest cable news outlets on the planet, broadcast an hour long documentary on December 8, 2010 entitled "Marijuana USA". The content covered everything from a couple in Colorado who actively promote legal marijuana his or her business to some company that labels, brands and distributes seeds for registered growers to plant like a natural herbal remedy for what ails you. The documentary goes into detail on how marijuana, in the usa where it's legal for medical use, is being regulated, licensed and taxed, as with every other legitimate product.
The prohibition of marijuana in the United States took a firm hold within the 1930's. Richard Nixon declared the War on Drugs in 1971 and Ronald Reagan reinforced those efforts within the 1980s. There were times when the only public advocates for legal marijuana appeared to be comedians such as George Carlin or Cheech and Chong which hardly gave legitimacy towards the cause and were no match for that United States government's campaign against cannabis.
