The New NORML

It’s been a long time coming (as the song said) but finally, The United States (or parts of it) have come to the realization that marijuana isn’t the horrible evil our ancestors viewed it to be.

In a quest to fund government, several states have found it convenient to legalize the “Evil Weed” and collect taxes on its consumption, much as they do with alcohol.  As it is with a lot of things, it’s a bad idea until we run out of ways to collect taxes.  Then, things that were once considered horrible - alcohol, gambling, and cigarettes - are now wonderful because the states can tax them.  Resistance is futile, and the resistance has met its match with marijuana.  States have run out of ways to tax us, so now, marijuana is no longer considered vile.  It’s a revenue source, which makes it ... well, a good idea.

Today is April 20.  Once considered an inside joke among pot heads, it has now become a national media day of recognition.  As it is with a lot of things, once the media attaches itself to something, it is no longer hip or relevant, and becomes a horrible “outside joke” that is a tongue-in-cheek version of what was once kind of cool.  Guys in suits joking about pot.  Yeah, that’s funny.

We are forced to endure the stupid pot references and jokes that border on sexual innuendo because ... well, it’s drugs - and drugs are bad, right?  I liked it better when it was in the background.

One of the great things about following unpopular bands is that you can go to small venues like the Electric Factory, Theater of the Living Arts, Underground Arts, and Union Transfer to see them.  Once they become popular, it’s harder (if not impossible) to get tickets to larger places where they don’t sound as good and are forced to pander to their popularity.  The “inside joke” has vanished in lieu of the popularity.

It will happen - sooner than later - that marijuana will go from the inside joke to the popular choice.  Be prepared to go through the jokes, innuendo, and snide remarks about being high, even though it is legal.  They’ll tax the shit out of it, and you’ll be able to get it from a local dispensary, but at what price?

You may find that you were better off when you had to hide it.

What’s next? The sex trade.  More on that later.