Marijuana Moderation

Sullum points out that Brooks “cannot possibly justify the arbitrary distinctions drawn by our drug laws, even if you share his paternalistic premise”:

As I point out in my book Saying Yes, the same could be said of any enjoyable activity that can be carried to excess. Drinking is the most obvious example, but any pleasure can be the focus of an addiction that crowds out more meaningful aspects of life. That is not an argument for abstinence, let alone abstinence enforced by law. It is an argument for temperance, in the original sense of the term.

After announcing his own pot use, Joe Klein makes related arguments:

I am not proselytizing for weed here, although it does seem to have strongly salutory effects for people suffering from a variety of maladies, from glaucoma to post-traumatic stress. I am proselytizing for moderation in all things.  Our societal reaction to marijuana use has not been moderate. It has been extreme, ridiculous and costly. We should be spending our time and money on other, more pressing issues. It is good to know that sanity seems a rising tide.

There are three ways to deal with cannabinoid-induced pleasure: prohibition, excess, and moderation. The proper conservative response to a substance already widely used, barely harmful but dangerous for kids is to regulate it away from minors, and encourage moderation. It’s really not that hard once you get rid of the fear.