Illinois number 11, not 50

Kudos to Gov. Pritzker and Illinois legislators for legalizing cannabis in IL. When stumping for its legalization I pondered whether Illinois would have the wisdom to be near the engine of the legalization train as number 11 (plus DC) rather that the caboose at number 50. It took an enlightened electorate which rejected the do nothing policies of his predecessor to elect a true progressive who made cannabis legalization one of his signature policies.

Cannabis criminalization from early last century was a monstrous policy of racism, Xenophobia and hatred of jazz, the original American art form, to maliciously ruin the lives of millions. As demonic drug czar for three decades Henry Anslinger said, “Reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men. There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the U.S., and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others.”

Anslinger started out as a Prohibition agent with little interest in cannabis. Once alcohol prohibition ended in 1933, he found cannabis as his ticket to both a lucrative new career and a chance to practice his racist, anti jazz proclivities for another 29 years, mercifully ending in 1962. Just a few years later President Nixon re-started the drug war to demonize and disarm the civil rights and anti Vietnam war movements.

The wheels of progress usually turn with excruciating slowness. Regarding a sane cannabis policy in Illinois, the new engineer at the throttle is finally getting Illinois up to speed.