Legalizing marijuana

the good reverend is taught a lesson in economics and libertarianism

Below is the letter I sent to the Naples News criticizing Reverend Orsi’s objection to marijuana legalization. Grassroots efforts throughout the country will help combat statism of both Democrats and Republicans who support the welfare-warfare state.

Reverend Michael P. Orsi’s guest column, “Marijuana legalization is an extremely unwise policy,” November 27), contains numerous unwarranted assertions and an egregious conclusion regarding the greatest social policy failure in American history.

Prohibition creates black markets.  Black markets attract the most vicious individuals in society who have no compunction about murdering innocent citizens, police officers, and legislators.  (Is the reverend unconcerned about the collateral damage to society because of prohibition?  Apparently so.)

Proponents of marijuana prohibition are in fact, unbeknownst to the good reverend, the greatest supporters of drug dealers.  Marijuana prohibition is a boon to drug dealers, who reap “excess” profits because of the black market for so-called illicit substances. 

Rev. Orsi asserts in his support for marijuana prohibition, “The harmful effects of marijuana have long been known.”  Let’s substitute cigarettes, alcohol, gambling, pornography, infidelity, sugar, a long list of foods and artificial substances, and the list goes on and on. Will the reverend call for criminalizing the aforementioned substances and activities? 

As economist Ludwig von MIses wrote about the failure of prohibition, “Why limit the government’s benevolent providence to the protection of the individual’s body only? Is not the harm a man can inflict on his mind and soul even more disastrous than any bodily evils? Why not prevent him from reading bad books and seeing bad plays, from looking at bad paintings and statues and from hearing bad music?” 

In other words, should the government ban The Communist Manifesto, Mein Kampf and other books that have been the basis for the deaths of tens of millions of human beings? 

Prohibition causes death and destruction whenever it is implemented.  It is time the ill effects of marijuana use are treated as a medical issue and not a criminal one. 

Reverend Michael P. Orsi’s guest column, “Marijuana legalization is an extremely unwise policy,” November 27), contains numerous unwarranted assertions and an egregious conclusion regarding the greatest social policy failure in American history.

Prohibition creates black markets.  Black markets attract the most vicious individuals in society who have no compunction about murdering innocent citizens, police officers, judges, and legislators.  (Is the reverend unconcerned about the collateral damage to society because of prohibition?  Apparently so.) 

Proponents of marijuana prohibition are in fact, unbeknownst to the good reverend, the greatest supporters (enablers) of drug dealers.  Marijuana prohibition is a boon to drug dealers, who reap “excess” profits because of the black market for so-called illicit substances.  

Rev. Orsi asserts in his support for marijuana prohibition, “The harmful effects of marijuana have long been known.”  Let’s substitute cigarettes, alcohol, gambling, pornography, infidelity, sugar, a long list of foods and artificial substances, and the list goes on and on. Will the reverend call for criminalizing the aforementioned substances and activities? 

As economist Ludwig von MIses wrote about the failure of prohibition, “Why limit the government’s benevolent providence to the protection of the individual’s body only? Is not the harm a man can inflict on his mind and soul even more disastrous than any bodily evils? Why not prevent him from reading bad books and seeing bad plays, from looking at bad paintings and statues and from hearing bad music?”  

In other words, should the government ban The Communist Manifesto, Mein Kampf and other books that have been the basis for the deaths of tens of millions of human beings?  

Prohibition causes death and destruction whenever it is implemented.  It is time the ill effects of marijuana use are treated as a medical issue and not a criminal one.  

My new book, The Finance of Health Care, reveals how businesses can lower their medical insurance costs markedly.  Medical entrepreneurs from around the country are showing us the way to provide quality medical care at much lower prices.  Also, my autobiography is now available on Kindle and the paperback is expected to be published this week. 

My other books on the Fed, and the boom/bust cycle are also available on Amazon. 

Every Thursday at 5:35 (EST), I am on the Gary Nolan show, usaradio.com, to discuss current economic and political issues.