Recently Liam Stack, writing for The New York Times, did a story on Rick Steves, a travel writer who is a passionate advocate for legalizing marijuana. Rick’s advocacy helped get the law passed in 2012 in Washington that legalized marijuana.
“If you’re a rich white guy you can smoke with impunity. But we are tuned into the reality of people who have a tough life and are disadvantaged, poor people and people of color. It’s the law is racist and it is not rich white guys who are getting arrested. It is poor people and people of color. It’s the new Jim Crow.” – Rick Steves
Steves told the reporter he is disturbed the United States is still classifying marijuana as a Class I narcotic which is the same class as heroin. “In Europe, a joint is about as exciting as a can of beer,” Steves said. “When I am home, I see people I respect smoke marijuana, responsibly, and it’s a criminal act.”