Smoke in Peace Nation: The Pendulum Continues to Swing Our Way

New York state has finally legalized the use of recreational

marijuana use for anyone over the age of 21. (That you can be 17 to join the US

military is still grating, but that’s a discussion for another day). This is a

significant step in the right direction, which is our direction, which is the Smoke

in Peace Nation direction. Yet we don’t want it to stop just there. This is just

the beginning.

The tax revenues raised from marijuana sales in the state are set to be worth

billions of dollars. That is especially good news for those New York communities

and demographics that have been disproportionately targeted by punitive

efforts of previous anti-drug legislation and law enforcement. That’s because

40% of all future, legalized marijuana revenue raised will be re-invested in areas

that were targeted in such a fashion. Keep in mind, in the latter half of last

year, 90% of marijuana related arrests in New York were Black or Latino

citizens. Coincidence? No. Surprised? NO.

Provisions are in place to ensure that the New York’s new marijuana laws don’t

get monopolized by corporate interests and those large-scale medical marijuana

producers that already have their apparatus in place. It won’t be an easy

journey for the little guy / little gal, but at least it’s now a journey that is

available.

Not only does marijuana legalization bode well for state coffers through

taxation revenue alone, and along with victimized communities, it also offers a

boon to the state’s tourist industry. New York was already a major international

travel destination, so with the legalization of marijuana, there’s even more

incentive to come and see what it has to offer. And, back to dollars and cents

again, tourism is a huge, absolutely huge, source of additional revenue for not

only the state, but small businesses, independent traders and regular citizens

too.

Smoke in Peace Nation envisions there being 100 million tourists a year to New

York by 2024, something that we want to wholly embrace. New York City has

always been a metropolis of awesome sights and “bend your head back to fully

see it” attractions. And we want to add to that experience now that there we

are in marijuana pastures of new. The state and the city are on the cusp of

being akin to the chilled-out vibe that you can find in the likes of Denver

Colorado, Kingston Jamaica or Amsterdam Holland.

We propose a new marijuana roof top experience for the city of New York. How

about a 420 hotbox speakeasy cannabis themed restaurant, dispensary or an in

general cannabis themed hang-out? What a way to Smoke in Peace as you look

out across the New York City skyline at night? Casting a thought back as to

just how ludicrous those now failed drug laws were. The injustice, the hate, the

misinformation, all gone. What a way to inter-connect with other progressives

and cyber-warriors in the fight against corporate neo-Confederate oppression,

twenty-first century style. And what a way to look down on the city that can

inspire change across the entire country, in good company, in good faith,

through Smoking in Peace.

While we have undoubtedly moved forward, this is a journey that is far from

over. New York can be an example of what is possible, but there are large

chunks of the country that have to join us in wanting to both Travel in Peace and

Smoke in Peace.

The US today is fragmented so badly that only the Civil War

era is comparable. But that said, we know that we are in the ascendancy; we

know that we have history on our side; we know, quite simply, that we are right.

We are living in epoch-defining times. While the Derek Chauvin trial is a seminal

event in twenty-first century American history, now we have the slaughter of

Daunte Wright to contend with too. With such monumental events erupting

around us, the idea of a Smoke in Peace, Travel in Peace nation becomes ever-

more attractive.

Lets’ light up, so as to light up a rooftop harmony and the eternal night-time

panorama of the New York city skyline. We can do this. We want to do this.

We’re one step closer people – the pendulum continues to swing our way.