The Myth That America Was Once Close to Legalizing Marijuana

02-25-2014 • http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com, By: Jon Walker

The rehashing of this myth was the one big problem in what was otherwise a good Washington Post article about the history of the legalization. From the Washington Post:

America has been at the edge of marijuana legalization several times during the past half-century, but never as close to mass acceptance of the drug as the nation is today. [...]

The skies looked bright for legalization at several other points in recent decades, and those efforts ultimately went nowhere, as campaigns by parents combined with sharp opposition by law enforcement and elected officials to keep marijuana on the list of substances that can land you in jail.

These lines, at best, are hyperbole, but it is understandable why this myth lives on. Activists by nature tend to be overly optimistic, journalists prefer a framing that makes a better story, and modern opponents don’t want their position to look unwinnable. Everyone involved has a reason to keep the myth going.