Elton John used to be a crackhead, and now he regrets it. What got him started, he says, was marijuana. “I maintain that it’s addictive. It leads to other drugs.”
Of course, many people never take the next step. That doesn’t mean the Rocket Man is wrong: some people, for all kinds of reasons, find that it is an easy slide from weed to cocaine. That should concern all of us, not just drug users. It should also concern us that today’s marijuana is so much more potent than in years past, leading to a spike in ER visits.
“And when you’re stoned—and I’ve been stoned—you don’t think normally.” The scientific literature on this subject, which is voluminous, backs him up 100 percent. So why are Americans so high on legalizing marijuana? That’s what all the polls say.
Beware of polls. A better index of public opinion is the ballot box. Last month, marijuana legalization was on the ballot in three states: Florida, North Dakota and South Dakota. It failed in all three. Meanwhile, Nebraska voters chose to legalize medical marijuana.
Voters in the uber-liberal state of Massachusetts rejected a proposal to legalize natural psychedelics. Oregon voters, who effectively legalized all drugs in 2020, realized what was happening to their quality of life and voted to reinstate penalties on marijuana and other drugs.
Conservatives have common sense; liberals not so much. That’s why liberals had to learn from a crisis what conservatives intuitively knew all along—they didn’t need to witness crazed people walking around cities, lying face down in the street, to know that drugs kill psychologically and physically.
If anyone thinks this is an exaggeration, just walk the streets of New York City. The stench of pot is everywhere and the zombie-like posture of people walking the streets and sidewalks is commonplace. Moreover, ask the cops who give a summons to dangerous drivers if they can be sure it is alcohol abuse that is in play. Unlike booze, there is no test for drivers high on weed.
“Legalizing marijuana in America and Canada is one of the greatest mistakes of all time.” Take it from Sir Elton—he’s been there, done that. And he is telling the truth.
