Sen. Cory Booker urged fellow lawmakers to "follow the lead of states around the country and legalize cannabis for adult use and create a comprehensive taxation and regulatory scheme."
No, the actual advocates are calling for it’s decriminalization, which is a very, very different thing than mere legalization.
Legalization merely means that it becomes acceptable for the privileged while leaving enough law in place to allow the pig to still use it as a pretext to wage war on the marginalized - as is the case with the notorious “Swedish Model” when it comes to sex work.
Legalization implies decriminalization and more. Decriminalized but not legalized substances are still banned, but they just carry civil penalties instead of criminal ones (so like a small fine instead of a massive fine and/or jail time). With legalization, the substance is unbanned entirely and can be sold by legal businesses or private citizens on the legal market, though subject to whatever other regulations apply to it.
It won’t stop cops from harassing minorities or anyone they don’t like because they don’t need a reason to do so and will make up one to try to get away with it. But it will remove a common excuse to harass them.
No, the actual advocates are calling for it’s decriminalization, which is a very, very different thing than mere legalization.
Legalization merely means that it becomes acceptable for the privileged while leaving enough law in place to allow the pig to still use it as a pretext to wage war on the marginalized - as is the case with the notorious “Swedish Model” when it comes to sex work.
You must mean decriminalization in your 2nd paragraph?
No.
Legalization implies decriminalization and more. Decriminalized but not legalized substances are still banned, but they just carry civil penalties instead of criminal ones (so like a small fine instead of a massive fine and/or jail time). With legalization, the substance is unbanned entirely and can be sold by legal businesses or private citizens on the legal market, though subject to whatever other regulations apply to it.
It won’t stop cops from harassing minorities or anyone they don’t like because they don’t need a reason to do so and will make up one to try to get away with it. But it will remove a common excuse to harass them.