The marijuana movement recently acquired a slightly different ally:
Republican state Rep. David Simpson of Longview argues marijuana comes from God and therefore shouldn’t be banned by government. The tea party stalwart has repeatedly championed what he calls the “Christian case” for legalization.
Jacob Sullum, REASON.com senior editor, takes note of the Marijuana Policy Project in Texas:
“I know that if we win there, we win the country,” [Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project] says. “I know decrim has a chance in Texas already, and I know that while people like to think of Texas as very conservative, the people of Texas are not as conservative as people outside of Texas think, that Texas is going to turn from a Republican state to a Democratic state at some point in the next eight years. So I said we can give that a whirl….We hired a lobbyist, have a full-time staffer in Austin who’s coordinating the grassroots, and now we’re seeing real momentum in the legislature as a result of the focused effort.”
Here is Mr. Simpson’s web site:
I covet your prayers now as we prepare …
That’s an interesting turn of phrase. Here he gives his views on the subject:
As a Christian, I recognize the innate goodness of everything God made and humanity’s charge to be stewards of the same.
In fact, it’s for this reason that I’m especially cautious when it comes to laws banning plants. I don’t believe that when God made marijuana he made a mistake that government needs to fix.
Good is contextual; I recall how my GP nearly broke down and cried when he admitted his own son had said, “But Dad, it’s natural, it’s gotta be good for you.” Even for bees, plant nectar can be poisonous – or not, depending on just what sort of bee you may be.
So, to Representative Simpson, we’d have to ask how arsenic is good for you, or any of a host of substances.
He may have reached what I regard to be probably a right conclusion, but the path seems dubious at best.
