MEG NANNA
The growth of regulated cannabis has created jobs, increased tax revenue, helped to begin curbing the opioid crisis, and, through expungement programs, ever so slightly reduced the impact the war on drugs has had on communities of color. Legal weed’s not perfect—yet—but it’s doing more good than harm, and is a huge step up from the nationwide prohibition that existed not so long ago.
As legalization gains mainstream acceptance, it’s easy to be lulled into a sense of complacency. Because while you may be lucky enough to live where cannabis programs exist, there are places in this country where pot is an excuse to harass, imprison, and even kill people. Here are some recent examples of the true perils of reefer madness.