Dear Readers,
In 1969, the Harvard Independent was established as a platform on campus for students to freely voice their opinion against a commonly biased public narrative. Student protests due to the Vietnam War sparked a cascade of on-campus political and social involvement, giving rise to the Independent’s role as a Counterpoint. Since then, Independent writers have reaped the benefits from an open platform to articulate and advocate for issues of controversy—a privilege unrepresentative of American history. One year after the birth of the Indy, Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, agglomerating all substances under the same federal regulatory umbrella and sparking the War on Drugs.
Regardless of the original intention, the subsequent attempts by President Nixon and Congress to combat this “public enemy number one” has precipitated a world of inequitable drug arrests and has shaped our criminal justice system to one that undeniably has racial undertones. From 2001 to 2010, over seven million people were arrested for the possession and use of marijuana, boiling down to one marijuana-related offense every 37 seconds, and contributing to more than half of total drug arrests. White and Black people use marijuana at around the same rate, yet nationwide, Black people are nearly four times more likely to be arrested and with sentences, on average, longer than white people of similar arrests. This number varies dramatically between states and counties, yet always disproportionally jeopardizes people of color. Despite federal attempts to lower these criminalization rates, the vast racial bias has remained the same, not only costing the United States $3.6 billion in enforcement each year, but also disproportionately punishing communities of color in ways that extend beyond marijuana arrests.
The criminalization of marijuana manifests itself differently in each of our lives, yet its federal legality continues to present arbitrary standards. 21 states currently have legalized recreational use of cannabis for users 21+, including the state of our home here at Harvard. 2016 marked the legalization of cannabis in Massachusetts, yet underage and illegal marijuana use undoubtedly occurred before then. The ability, therefore, to freely report, comment, and illustrate the myriad ways to use marijuana, unafraid of any legal ramifications, is not only a privilege, but also a responsibility to recognize this substance’s racial history and current prejudices, and advocate for change to be made.
Weed is not just a party trick, and getting high should not allow users to avoid the drug’s social history. It is an activity and product that carries a dark narrative, yet also has created a space for open dialogue and enjoyment. Recent developments towards the legalization and decriminalization of recreational marijuana have deviated the drug’s stigma away from malice, and hopefully towards more unrestricted thought. It is with this recognition and great excitement that I present to you all our inaugural Weed Issue.
Yours in the Indy,
Marbella Marlo