Marijuana and Civil Rights in America: A European Perspective

Please note that the Center for Global Humanities is providing an academic forum on this topic. Neither the Center nor the University has a position on Question 1, the legalization of marijuana.

Renowned travel writer and public television host Rick Steves shows that U.S. promotion of marijuana is strikingly similar to the prohibition on alcohol during the 1930s — ineffective, wasteful and counter–productive. He will argue that a European perspective on the issue offers some possible alternatives — alternatives which may seem radical to people in the United States — but which have been proven to work. While emphasizing that he is not in favor of drug use by anyone, Rick Steves believes that the European emphasis on harm reduction — rather than criminalization — offers a possible way forward for the U.S. In a way, this comparative approach is a good illustration of Steves’ belief that thoughtful travel can inspire creative new solutions to persistent problems.

This is not a Seminar Series event.