As Canada Prime Minister Trudeau points out, the prohibition of marijuana has not only prohibited its use, it has also prohibited research, regulation, and education. As we wrote a couple weekends ago, the decades of marijuana prohibition in the United States has hindered the progress of research and has withheld cannabis from people whose health could truly benefit from it. In addition, the stigmatization that goes along with prohibition has kept education about marijuana away from the public. As we’ve mentioned more than once, legalization leads to regulation, which in turn keeps cannabis in the hands of those who can legally use it. Without good regulation, poor choices and unsafe environments can arise, which benefits no one. Only complete legalization can help us to — in the words of Prime Minister Trudeau — control and regulate it, and to develop research and education that would be beneficial to all.
