DARE, the anti-drug organization, accidentally endorsed marijuana

Middle school fear-mongerers D.A.R.E. apparently posted an op-ed earlier this week that called for marijuana legalization…and then, surprise, took it down. The notable anti-drug organization posted what appeared to be a pro-marijuana legalization piece on their website blog.

After D.A.R.E. posted the letter (it has since been removed), New York magazine reported that the group’s apparent reversal in ideology was a “breakthrough”.

A screenshot of the errant Op-Ed on the DARE site.

“I know from enforcing senseless marijuana laws that children only are being put in more danger when marijuana is kept illegal”, McDerment wrote.

If current trends hold, it is likely that California will soon legalize marijuana for recreational use – if not in 2016, then in the not-too-distant future.

The editorial, which has since been pulled from D.A.R.E.’s website, was a response to an anti-legalization letter written to the Columbus Dispatch by Dr. Johana Said, in which she argued that legalizing marijuana would just add yet another item to the long list of substances children could accidentally ingest and die. Its content? A full-throated endorsement of marijuana legalization, on the basis that regulated retailers could be age-restricted.

Anyone who suggests we outlaw everything risky to children would also have to ban stairs, Tylenol, bleach, forks and outlet sockets and definitely alcohol.

How do you feel about marijuana legalization? He also stressed that the solution to the problems that arise because of pot use is not prohibition or incarceration, but regulation and education.

This gaffe was epic fail No. 2 for D.A.R.E this year. But the group confirmed to The Washington Post on Tuesday that the questionable headline “may be why it was posted”. We have a new service and the header ‘Purchasing Marijuana Puts Kids at Risk’may be why it was posted.