If one more person calls it 'the gateway drug'...

The top politicians in my homestate, Massachusetts, came out today with a statement against the legalization ballot question that we voters are expecting to see in November. Governor Charlie Baker, Attorney General Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh have long refused to be realistic or look at the data supporting legalization and disproving marijuana's harm, so I'm not at all surprised to read today of their continued opposition to legalizing marijuana.

What's grinding my gears is the willful perpetuation of the "Reefer Madness" stereotype that these elected leaders continue despite the growing evidence that marijuana is a remarkably nontoxic herb and medicine that millenia of humans have used to great benefit and minimal abuse. I feel like a broken record citing the dangers of completely-legal-to 18-year-olds cigarettes, which people can access easier than a fresh piece of fruit in Massachusetts. And don't get me started on booze, the perils of which Mayor Walsh knows too well.

If little old citizen lady me has access to this information, isn't it fair and reasonable to assume that the governor, mayor and AG and their staff have access to the same? And don't they have an obligation as elected officials to help move the Commonwealth forward, acknowledging the evolution of science and industry along the way, and stop it with this "gateway drug" nonsense? They damn well do.

Maybe I'm just a little extra grumpy today because I was also shocked and saddened to read about all of the budget cuts that were annouced for Boston Public Schools today. These poor kids peacefully (for the most part) gathered at the state house to protest the fact that they, their siblings and neighbors weren't going to get to go to a SCIENCE class in EIGTH GRADE, that they wouldn't have any more foreign language classes, immediately limiting the number and quality of colleges and universities these kids can get into after their horrendous primary and secondary education.

This was all announced on the back of the announcements that Governor Baker and Marty Walsh were proudly welcoming GE to Boston along with a $25 million tax break to the company the city doesn't need. And then their announcements (down the street from the protest) about their excitement to welcome the Forbes magazine Under 30 Summit. How the heck are we going to get Boston's own kids even eligible for such a program when they don't have basic school supplies or challenging curriculum?

Ug. Thank goodness for blogs. I feel better now. But seriously, this stuff is crazy, right?!?!