The Week in Review: Marijuana Goes Mainstream

Inside Flipboard / August 1, 2014

In recent years, American social policy became a very sticky subject. Issues ranging from gay marriage to gun ownership are hotly politicized, and candidates seeking office cannot hope to win without offering their stance on matters of personal freedom.

Pot is a complicated story. Long considered politically taboo, marijuana’s gone mainstream thanks to pop culture. Casually peppered throughout music and movies, the mere act of lighting up raises few eyebrows. Consider this: 45 years ago only 12% of Americans favored legalization; today that number has quadrupled.

While Colorado’s move to legalize recreational cannabis use this year was contentious and problematic, the eight-month-old program has been hailed a success—and a financially beneficial one at that. But that doesn’t mean the political perils have diminished.

It makes us wonder: which other once-verboten issues will lose their stigma? How will the political debate evolve? To find out, we took a look at some pressing social issues being debated on Flipboard:

High Time by The New York Times: The New York Times editorial board came out in strong support of marijuana legalization. For the past week they’ve been gathering up their reasons and rationales, all in one magazine.

Marijuana Today by timothyhites: How does the rest of the world feel about marijuana? And do they practice what they preach? You’d be surprised.

The War on Drugs: Consumption, Conflict, & Control: The war on drugs was a program enacted during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. But that was more than 20 years ago. Did it succeed? Read on.

Social Issues by ltpone: Some consider “personal freedom” a matter of public debate. And others think what they do in their own homes is their business. Where’s the line? See if you can spot it in this magazine.

Social Security and Social Policy by Keith Fitzgerald: Before other issues took the stage, social justice revolved around inequality. What’s changed? Take a look.

Gun Policy & Violence by urbanvole: If there’s a more contentious social issue than marijuana, it’s gun control. See what states are doing around the country to deal with this ongoing debate.

~ShonaS is curating “Engineered Garments”
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