Class Quote by Noam Chomsky
“Very commonly substances are criminalized because they're associated with what's called the dangerous classes, you know, poor people, or working people… Actually, the peak of marijuana use was as I said, in the seventies, but that was rich kids, so you don't throw them in jail. And then it got seriously criminalized, you know, you really throw people in jail for it, when it was poor people.”
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Media and Power, 2015
Drug laws target marginalized groups, criminalizing substances used by privileged classes while punishing the poor.
In simple terms: Drug laws unfairly punish poor people.
Key Takeaway
Advocate for fair drug policies.
Themes
justice
class
criminalization
Mood
critical
concerned
Type
analytical
activist
When to use this quote
- legal reform activism
- community education
- healthcare access
- public debate
Key Concepts
political economy
public policy
Questions to Reflect On
- Why are drug laws applied unevenly?
- What reforms would create equity?
A Different Perspective
Changing entrenched legal frameworks is difficult.
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
