How To Get Involved In Drug Policy & Marijuana Legalization Activism
June 7, 2010
We are at a critical point in the history of the drug war, the beginning of it’s end, though it is far from over. A great-deal of freedom-loving activists from around the world have contributed to the triumphs of marijuana decriminalization and legalization, but there is still a lot of road to walk. And we need soldiers to walk this road, which is why this guide exists. Keep on reading to find out how you can get started in making a positive change in the world by becoming a drug policy activist.
One sad truth that is often neglected even in the pro-marijuana movement: Freedom-exercising citizens are still seeing jail/prison time for dealing, buying, and using relatively harmless illicit drugs like LSD, magic mushrooms, and MDMA (even when paired with relatively dangerous drugs like cocaine and heroine – which carry the majority of the weight of the damage caused by illicit drugs - the rate at which illicit drugs kill people is shockingly small compared to other more common causes of death like prescription drug abuse, auto accidents, tobacco, alcohol, suicide, and even sexual behavior). Our government is working harder than ever to persecute innocent citizens who choose to indulge in recreational drugs that are far safer than the legal varieties, and marijuana users know this better than anybody else (except for perhaps crack addicts). Drug policy activism begins with marijuana, but it cannot be solely about marijuana. All the hypocrisies, racism, and dangers associated with prohibition apply to the prohibition of any substance in the US Drug War, and we need your help to stop prohibition. Here’s how you can get started in your neighborhood:
1. The most important thing anyone can do to end the drug war is to support the search for truth and the improvement of the education system because truth – like good – will always prevail against lies and ignorance. Those of you that are highly successful/educated (like the late Francis Crick) that use safer drugs need to speak up in support of your drug of choice. It is your body, and in this country you have a God-given right to use it as you will without government intervention. Be honest about your drug use with your family, and stop hiding like a paranoid lazy stoner. We need the geniuses to stand up and start talking. We do tons of damage to our families and our society when we hide our safer-drug use because we openly promote tobacco, alcohol, and the social harms of prohibition while hiding the benefits of an educated and thoughtful drug habit. And if you don’t know the benefits/harms of your drug-of-choice/drug-you-hate, do us all a favor and do some research before you start promoting/denouncing substances, concepts, and policies you don’t understand.
2. Join and financially support an activist organization like NORML, LEAP, MPP, or SSDP. Learn about their agenda and other relevant news-items by checking into their blogs on a regular basis. Get involved with the local events they promote. Every head counts at marches, rallies, and protests. If you’re seeking a career in politics, non-profits like these are a great way to get started, so don’t be shy and give somebody a call.
3. If an activist organization doesn’t have a chapter in your area, consider starting a chapter. For college students, the Students for Sensible Drug Policy has infiltrated several campuses around the nation, but there are still many that lack the presence of an on-campus drug policy activism group. For good cops, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition is another group that is making waves in the drug war, so consider starting a chapter in your area if it’s missing one. For non-cops and non-students, NORML and MPP are pro-marijuana groups open to everyone, though they also have college-campus chapters.
4. If you get a chance to serve on a jury for a drug-related case, take a stand against the drug war by refusing to find the defendant guilty. An incredible power and responsibility we hold as citizens is jury-duty, and the more often we refuse to convict drug-criminals, the more often we save others like ourselves. We need to show the judges, the DEA ,and local police forces that we find these laws to be unjust.
5. The pen is mightier than the sword, so a computer with web-access must be mightier than a machine gun. Blog, write, and talk, talk, talk about the incredible failure that is the drug war. Some of your family members and friends may get sick of hearing it, but countless lives have been ruined by this monster and your life (or the life of someone you know) may be next. Write-in to magazines and newspapers to dispute lies and ignorance. Make sure that your friends and family members understand their constitutional rights. Make yourself a beacon of light in a dark world by spreading truth everywhere you go, and if you have any sort of fame or significant presence on the internet, use it to speak out against the drug war. Even if you’re just a drug-addicted, low-life rock-star, someone out there thinks you’re important enough to listen to. At the same time, don’t go barking up the wrong tree. Educate yourself on the issues, drugs, and policies you like or don’t like, and use your natural talents, acquired skills, and positions-of-power to further the cause. In other words, don’t go blogging about this stuff just because I said it’s a good idea (without a steady audience, a blog is like a tree falling in the middle of an uninhabited forest – no one cares); instead, be thoughtful about how you can use your time and effort effectively. So maybe a stand-alone blog isn’t such a great idea for most folks, but you might have hundreds of friends on Facebook or MySpace that would pay attention to your blurbs, click on your links, and take you seriously. However you spread-the-word, just be thoughtful about how you do it, and don’t waste your time talking to walls.
6. Taking the pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword theme in another direction, it is terribly important that you write your senators, congressman, etc. on issues that matter to you. Politicians don’t like to become unpopular, so the more of us that write in, the more likely they’ll think about our desires the next time they legislate.
7. Vote! I think this one is self explanatory.
8. Dress the part. The majority of the public will not take seriously a red-eyed stoner in cargo shorts, a cheap hat, and a t-shirt emblazoned with marijuana leaves. The reality is that looks are not always truth, but people tend to really notice when looks and truth line-up perfectly. If you’re intelligent, lack in laziness, and have something important to say, as an activist, people are much more likely to take you seriously if you show up in a stylish suit despite the substance of your words.
Now, “I’d like to get involved, but I just have no idea how to get started,” is no longer a viable excuse when you think about getting involved in drug policy activism. I’ve given you 8 possibilities, so choose two or three and get started.
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