The Politics of Pot: Introduction

POT

The words you are about to read describe illegal activity.

Despite the fact that, according to government figures, 70 million of the
280 million Americans alive today have smoked pot sometime in their lives,
that this number includes our last two presidents, that 34 states passed
laws between 1978 and 1996 recognizing marijuana's therapeutic value, that
nine states including Washington have voted to legalize medical use of
marijuana, that marijuana is less damaging on any number of grounds than
alcohol, our government spends $7.5 billion annually fighting the war
against pot. In 1998, nearly 700,000 citizens were arrested for marijuana
offenses, 88 percent for simple possession. Yet over 100,000 supporters
(presumably) of pot are expected to crowd Myrtle Edwards Park this weekend
celebrating hemp, bud, medical marijuana--all the plant's many guises.

Still, if you choose to smoke, you could get arrested.

A serious national discussion about the appropriateness of the war on
drugs, especially pot, is imperative, and it's not going to start if
everyone keeps pretending that pot isn't pervasive.

Pot's not going away. In this package writers discuss the current struggles
of the pro-marijuana and hemp movement(s), the latest efforts to make it
less dangerous to get high in Seattle, and what to do if you get caught.

Because no one would do the stuff if it wasn't fun, you'll also find
several stories here about the lighter side of lighting up, including
personal essays on the first time, being stoned, and quitting.