opinion

Tully: On pot, partisanship goes up in smoke

Finally, we have something Democrats and Republicans agree on. At least young ones.

According to a recent Pew Research Center poll, millennials support the legalization of marijuana in both sweeping and bipartisan ways. In all, 77 percent of Democrats between the ages of 18 and 34, and 63 percent of such Republicans, say laws that prohibit pot use are as outdated as watching TV shows on an actual TV.

Is this a sign that the partisan division that has hobbled the country in recent years will mellow as the youngest generation of adults grows older and begins to run for office and vote with more and more frequency? Hey, one can hope.

And, sure, I'd like to see bipartisan agreement on more weighty issues. And, no, I actually don't agree with the millennial majority on this one. But it's nice to see agreement across party lines on anything these days.

In Washington, partisanship has polluted a debate about the homeland security budget. Here in Indiana, education has become home to a political mess. And one poll showed that some Americans are so partisan they don't even want neighbors or in-laws who come from the across the political aisle.

Then there's pot. It's one political issue, apparently, that allows people of different ideologies to take a deep breath and relax.

While there is a huge split on the issue among Democrats and Republicans of older generations, millennials not only support legalized pot, but they have only a small partisan gap on the issue. The split between Democratic and Republican boomers, for instance, is 28 percentage points, while it's only half that among the generation that is still devising its plot to take over the world.

It's not surprising. On social issues, millennials have found common ground before. They support same-sex marriage rights in large numbers, and are more open to a path to citizenship for those who first entered the country illegally. When I talk to politically active Millennials, the conversation usually centers on spending, education, and how big or small government's overall role should be.

So, yes, it appears the nation is heading toward a day when marijuana is legalized from coast to coast. We've already reached a point where the idea of sending people to prison for possessing pot seems foolish, and the massive size of the millennial generation almost guarantees its footprint will be left on all manner of public policy in the coming years.

Still, is legalization right?

I continue to doubt that this rush to open a pot dispensary on every corner is a good thing. Why? Mostly because I'm a dad and I've met far too many young people whose lives have been thrashed thoroughly by heroin in recent years, and in every case pot was the first step toward the needle.

I know, many people smoke a joint just as casually as I grab a drink, and don't see their lives fall apart. And, no, the ravages of alcohol abuse are vast and haven't inspired another Prohibition era. But I still fear the longterm consequences of legalization. It's a fear that comes with having a job that introduces you to so many people lost to addiction.

I happened to be in Washington, D.C, last week, on the day the nation's capital legalized marijuana. I didn't see people lighting up on the street, but I did ask U.S. Rep. Andre Carson what he thought about it — as a politician and as a former law-enforcement officer. What the Indianapolis Democrats said pretty much sums up how I feel.

The benefits of medicinal marijuana seem clear, he said, but as for broader legalization, "I have concerns about folks who will graduate to other drugs, and that you will have more issues with addiction."

It remains a big concern for me, regardless of how sweeping or bipartisan the polls are.

You can reach me at matthew.tully@indystar.com or at Twitter.com/matthewltully.​

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