With the cannabis referendum I was quietly confident the time had finally come for Aotearoa New Zealand to act sensibly on the issue, I was surprised by just how annoyed I was, when the vote went no, still pending specials mind you .
In a perfect world no one would use cannabis and no one would use alcohol. I 'm a puritan about alcohol I despise the stuff and it bothers me that it is accepted as a default drug that is more normal to use than to avoid. It enhances bravado, foolhardiness, carelessness, ego and imperviousness. all of which this world has way too much of.
Not only is it legal but it is legal to push it with advertising, it kills by inspiring violence and dangerous deeds. It kills by direct physical destruction to human bodies, it damages the liver and increase rates of cancer. The emergency wards fill up on a Friday night due to idiots getting tanked and their stupidity enhanced.
Cannabis is a drug too and causes harm, but whereas a drunk person will blithely ignore the greatest art, a stoned person is likely to be stunned by the impression of even inferior art. You can be amazed by simple piece of music, lost in self contemplation, overcome by humility all things I would love to see enhanced in our culture. Wouldn't it be great to see an explosion of appreciation and wonder?
While a drunk and a stoned person will both have their driving performance impaired, a drunk person will drive too fast and be overconfident, while a stoned person will drive too slow and be overcautious.
We can awaken out sense of wonder without drugs, but currently we have a ubiquitous drug that vanquishes wonder. I am ashamed of you New Zealand for voting to keep laws that do more harm than good, that destroy lives for a victimless act, that hurt Maori disproportionately.
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