If They Are for Ir...

If They Are For It...

Marijuana: pot, green, bud, ganja, hash, grass, herb. Around the world, the governments of different countries are considering the decriminalization of marijuana. What this means is that the substance would still be illegal, but when caught in possession or use of the drug, offenders would be required to pay fines instead of facing jail time and/or obtaining a criminal record. Whether or not marijuana should be decriminalized is a controversial topic. The government should not only decriminalize the drug, but also legalize it. If the government legalized pot, and then just put a hefty tax on it, in the same way that is already done with alcohol and tobacco products, an enormous amount of money could be made.

There were an estimated 2.6 million new American users in 2001 who smoked marijuana at least once per month, according to a survey conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The NIDA also says that marijuana was the third most commonly used drug in the United States in 2002.

Alcohol and tobacco are both legal drugs. Both have been proven to be addictive and harmful. Alcohol affects the liver, while tobacco attacks the lungs. Studies show that tobacco smoking kills more Americans every year than alcohol, crack, heroin, murder, suicide, car accidents, fire and AIDS combined. (Planet Papers) Despite these statistics, both alcohol and tobacco still remain legal for everyday use. Personally, I know people who are addicted and affected by both alcohol and tobacco, yet I do not know a single person who has been harmed by or cannot stop smoking weed. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the active ingredient in marijuana. THC has not been proven to be addictive or life-threatening. In fact, it has been used to help relieve nausea in cancer patients, as well as to have direct psychological benefits on people who are dealing with glaucoma, epilepsy, and other medical disorders. Dr. Potter describes marijuana use by saying "[Marijuana] can relieve pain where other drugs or techniques have failed." If the doctors are for it, so am I!

It is also believed by many that by decriminalizing marijuana, the crime rate in the United States would dramatically decrease, while the economy would potentially soar. This is because as of now, 60,000 individuals are behind bars for marijuana offenses at a cost to taxpayers of $1.2 billion per year. "The state of California saved nearly $1 billion dollars from 1976 to 1985 by decriminalizing the personal possession of one ounce of marijuana, according to a study of the state justice department budget." (www.NORML.org) By decriminalizing cannabis in the United States, it could allow our police officers, judges, and other government employees to focus on the more dangerous problems of society, such as heroin, crack, or murder. It would also allow more space in our already over-crowded jails and prisons. "According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, more than 734,000 individuals were arrested on marijuana charges in 2000. This number far exceeds the total number of arrestees for all violent crimes combined, including murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Eighty-eight percent of those arrested were charged with possession only." (www.Kucinich.us)

A spokesperson, J. Morgan, for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), says, "Marijuana use remains consistent despite a high level of enforcement, and there is no detectable relationship