AS WE APPROACH the one-year anniversary of recreational cannabis legalization in Oregon, it's easy to forget about the prohibitionist forces that aren't happy about it. This is a mistake, though—these opponents are spending massive amounts of time, money, and energy to roll back the progress that's been made.
I've always struggled to understand who these prohibitionists are. I get that some religious people have a moral objection to cannabis and its use—which they've somehow extrapolated from that very popular book about the zombie miracle worker with a cool beverage party trick, who struggled with some serious daddy issues before being immortalized as a white Middle Easterner who looks like the Dude.
For others, it's a concern that children can gain access to cannabis, and that early development may be hampered by its use. Of all the arguments made by those who fear legalization, this is the one I understand the most. But I still have yet to meet anyone, ever, who has suggested that providing kids with recreational weed is a great idea. Let's drop the argument of legitimate medical use (pediatric epilepsy, cancer treatments), or how a child using cannabis recreationally has potentially far fewer negative or lethal effects than alcohol or prescription pill use. Young children smoking weed is not cool, never has been, and we should all do what we can to eliminate that scenario.
Now let's cast our red-eyed gaze southward to that nation state, California, and see how they're faring with their plans to vote for recreational use this November. Who is organizing and raising money against the legalization efforts?