The Guardian (December 11)
Under New Zealand’s ban on smoking, “those aged 14 and under in 2027 will never be able to buy tobacco products legally. The legal smoking age will increase with every year that passes–meaning that in 2073, someone who is 61 will be able to buy cigarettes whereas someone who is 60 will not. But, as the government ramps up anti-drug measures in the UK at the same time, you have to ask – when has criminalising a substance ever worked?”
Tags: Age, Anti-drug, Ban, Cigarettes, Criminalising, Government, Legal, New Zealand, Smoking, Tobacco, UK
Seattle Times (June 1)
The cannabis industry “had a breakout moment during the pandemic. Legal cannabis sales in the United States passed $17.5 billion in 2020, a 46% increase over sales in 2019. For many Americans, stocking up on marijuana was as essential as stocking up on toilet paper. And the industry found a way to get it to them.”
Tags: Breakout moment, Cannabis, Essential, Increase, Industry, Legal, Pandemic, Sales, Stocking up, Toilet paper, U.S.
Chicago Tribune (January 22)
“It seems odd that lawmakers from one political party, sworn to uphold the Constitution and under oath as impartial jurors, would not insist that witnesses to what they claim is perfectly legal presidential behavior step up and testify.”
Tags: Behavior, Constitution, Impartial, Jurors, Lawmakers, Legal, Oath, Party, Testify, Uphold, Witnesses
Chicago Tribune (October 30)
“The caravan of several thousand people coming north through Mexico has stirred all sorts of fears here at home…. But the actual grounds for fear are sparse.” Some won’t complete the journey. Many will apply for asylum. Only a small percentage will eventually make it into the U.S., either legally or illegally. Furthermore, “a body of evidence indicates that immigrants in general are less likely to commit crimes than native-born Americans.”
New York Times (November 6)
“Support for making marijuana legal is increasing around the world, and that is a good thing…. Laws banning the growing, distribution and possession of marijuana have caused tremendous damage to society, with billions spent on imprisoning people for violating pointlessly harsh laws.” Moreover, “marijuana is far less harmful than alcohol and tobacco, and can be used to treat medical conditions like chronic pain.”
Tags: Alcohol, Ban, Damage, Distribution, Legal, Marijuana, Pain, Possession, Prison, Society, Support, Tobacco
