In a policy turning point, the Obama administration is ending its pre-emptive marijuana prohibition policy towards states like Colorado and Washington states where legalization measures have been approved by voters. The decision is a victory for those opposing the multi-billion dollar militarized War on Drugs.
Ironically, while the administration considers a massive military "surge" on the Mexican border to block drug smugglers, Canada is moving towards the legalization of pot over the northern border. Justin Trudeau, the Liberal candidate for prime minister in next year's election, is surging in the polls after revealing last week that he smoked pot while a member of parliament. Trudeau, a liberal centrist who calls for marijuana legalization, has nudged right-wing Prime Minister Stephen Harper to "very carefully" consider reducing pot use to a citation without criminal charges. The Canadian dynamic will likely push US drug policies towards greater liberalization in states along the northern border, adding to the tipping effect from Colorado and Washington.
The unfolding contrast between the two borders, one massively militarized with the other becoming a "gateway" to recreational marijuana enjoyment, may draw greater attention to the racial character of US drug war policies as Canada liberalizes.
After forty years of activism, politics and writing, Tom Hayden still is a leading voice for ending the war in Iraq, erasing sweatshops, saving the environment, and reforming politics through greater citizen participation. Currently he is writing and advocating for US Congressional hearings on exiting Iraq. This year he drafted and lobbied successfully for Los Angeles and San Francisco ordinances to end all taxpayer subsidies for sweatshops. He recently has taught at Pitzer College, Occidental College, and Harvard's Institute of Politics. He has written eyewitness accounts for The Nation , where he serves on the editorial board, about the global justice movements in Brazil, Chile, Bolivia, Chiapas, and India. He is the author or editor of thirteen books.
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