At first glance I thought to myself no way this should be allowed in America. We would be on our way to looking like San Francisco or New Amsterdam. Yet perhaps, this movement is a happy medium for weed smokers in between legalization and incarceration.
Currently, 12 states passed legislation to make various cannabis offenses the lowest priority of law enforcement. A few other states have cities with voter passed referendums that enforce small civil infraction fines. That is the case in Ann Arbor, Michigan where city police charge violators under the local law rather than the more strict state law.
Essentially, these states enforce civil fines, drug education and treatment in place of incarceration or criminal charges for possession of small amounts of cannabis. These states classify possession of an ounce or more as a criminal offense. The courts stand with the traditional war on drugs. In Gonzales v Raich, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that under the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution, Congress may ban the use of medical marijuana even where states approve its use for medicinal purposes. In 2005, Congress passed a federal law banning the use of cannabis.
Without going in depth legally, let’s take a look and see if decriminalization would be beneficial and justified in America. First lets compare marijuana to cigarettes and alcohol. Marijuana seems to be less detrimental to society. It is tough to compare the individual health risks but there is no doubt that cigarettes and alcohol have greater downfalls. Cigarettes are more addictive and as often as they are smoked lung cancer is more likely. For alcohol, the long term affects on the liver is dangerous and you can actually die from drinking too much. I’m no a big fan of Jimmy Carter but this quote can sum up the argument.
Penalties against drug use should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself. Nowhere is this clearer than in the laws against the possession of marijuana in private for personal use.
Next is the problem of enforcing these marijuana laws. The DEA spends 1.3 billion “fighting” marijuana and that does not include the cost of prison management and construction. Overall, the government has spent 30 billion of the taxpayer’s money. There’s also the loss of sheer law enforcement manpower while prosecuting these citizens. This time could be better spent trying to bring up murder prosecution rates or patrolling for other hard crimes.
The Myth of the Gateway Drug
Looking at the evidence there is nothing that suggests smoking pot will lead to the subsequent use of other illicit drugs. For every 104 Americans who have tried marijuana, there is only one regular user of cocaine, and less than one user of heroin. The gigantic gap in population between marijuana users and other hard core drug users, suggests that marijuana is easily obtainable and drug addicts will likely take advantage of anything they can get a hold of. People who smoke weed are choosing not to use harder drugs.
Will decriminalizing marijuana cause an increased use?
The answer is not so clear, statistics from current decriminalized states are contested and unreliable. In the DOJ study 1979 they found that in the 11 decriminalized states marijuana use among 12th graders increased to 51 percent. By 1992, tougher laws and increased awareness reduced the number of users to 22 percent. Since then the numbers have risen and stabilized. I will attempt to use common sense, and agree with the DOJ and DEA findings which say that marijuana use is expected to up if you aren’t incarcerated for using it.
How will the mind qualities of marijuana effect our society? Consider first,decreased worker productivity, lower educational achievement, and an overall lazier society. Secondly consider an increased risk of traffic accidents and the impending medical care costs. One study in California found more emergency room trauma admissions were associated with pot than alcohol. They also found that pot smokers have a 30 percent more increased risk of traffic accidents.
There is no doubt marijuana is involved in plenty of reckless driving and fatal accidents. Stanford University conducted study of airline pilots who each consumed a low grade marijuana cigarette before entering a flight simulator involving a stressful, yet recoverable scenario. The test resulted in numerous crashes. More alarming was the fact that the pilots again crashed the simulator in the same scenario a full 24 hours after last consuming marijuana. They all showed no outward signs of intoxication and reported feeling “no residual effects” from the drug. Each pilot also stated they had “no reservations” about flying!
In my opinion marijuana may not necessarily cause people to commit other crimes. The fact is a very small percentage of people are in prison for just the use of marijuana use. Yet an overwhelming majority of prisoners are pot smokers. This says that pot smokers are more likely to lead a life of crime and increasing pot users will also increase other crimes.
In summary, I don’t mind it either way. I am afraid decriminalization will lead to legalization. The main reason I am against it is my perception of pot smokers and their lifestyles. All to often I associate weed with laziness and people in trouble. After some research, I’ve realized that pot is too harshly penalized. This tough enforcement is hardly fair and it doesn’t yield the results it should. It has caused this plant to become a cash crop where farmers can make $70,000 for a bushel of marijuana versus about $10 for a bushel of corn. Also, marijuana is the most widely used drug and is available to everyone, even kids.
3conservativebros
MacGregor
Johnny M
Timmy K
Timmy, great post, you hit on the major points that i had questions with. I do have a few more questions for you though.
Gateway Drug: Do you know of anyone who has smoked weed more than a few times that HASNT tried Cocaine at least once? I do not. That alone worries me.
One of my roomates in college was a complete pot head who had issues because of it. He had weird fits of paranoia on occasion, is that, along with increased instances of depression anything you encountered in your research?
To me, common sense says it should be decriminalized, but i dont want it to be for the same reason you mentioned. Obviously it will be the next step to complete legalization. I realize too that pot is better for you than cigarettes, I just dont see any good coming to society with de-crim, or legalization, unless their is a HUGE cost benefit to highly regulating it.
I dont have to look any further than MI for this, as we passed it in the last election back in 2008 for medical usage. Unfortunately its already being taken advantage of, as “Pot Expos” are now being held to teach people how to game the system, i already know people who have filed to get it even though they dont need it. Its sad, and i simply fall on the side of less drugs…
I guess, I’ve never been close to anyone who smoked weed regularly, so I can’t answer that question. I do agree with your worries though… I can’t stress that enough. There are all kinds of problems with using marijuana regularly. The problem is that it is tough to quantify that. Its easy to make the argument that tobacco and alcohol are bad for your health while marijuana use is just mildly harmful. That doesn’t tell the whole story though, I believe overall pot use is more damaging to society.
The medicinal use and legalization angles make deciphering all the studies and data pretty tough. I am completely against the legalization stuff and think the medicinal arguments are fraudulent. Marinol is the pill form of THC and from the looks of it, it accomplishes everything smoking pot does.
I can’t let my worries about legalization and problems smoking pot persuade my opinion on decriminalization. If tax dollars can be spent more efficiently and police have more time spend on other crimes then I side with the decriminalization.
Good post Timmy. Andrew Sullivan at The Atlantic Monthly has been beating the legalization drum for a long time.
My take on this issue is that there are certain human behaviors that civil laws have failed to stop over the centuries. And further, when these behaviors are pushed into the criminal world – a world outside of our laws – it is bad for all of us.
Marijuana and some other drugs should, I think, be treated like alcohol. Another factor in favor of decriminalization is the destructive effect in Latin America of our hapless War on Drugs and the toll that drug violence takes on us here.
I think when you weigh the matter of damage, whatever the effect on individuals from long term use doesn’t compare to the effect on the larger population that comes from making the use illegal.
And instead of burning fields in Latin America, we could be buying the product and making those farmers into tax paying non-criminals.
Thanks Moe,
“Another factor in favor of decriminalization is the destructive effect in Latin America of our hapless War on Drugs and the toll that drug violence takes on us here.”
Decriminalization wont change that. Our hapless War on Drugs is winning most battles especially with heroine and cocaine use. Marijuana use has been pretty steady.
When behaviors are pushed into the criminal world it is bad for all of us? Not sure what you mean here. I think Marijuana trafficking and heavy use of it should still be worth jail time, I just think small time users should be penalized less.
[When behaviors are pushed into the criminal world it is bad for all of us? ]
I mean that when activity is criminal – prostitution say – redress of grievances cannot go through the processes we use – can’t call the police, can’t sue, can’t go to Court etc. So the method of redress becomes violence.
Turf wars with no laws to guide them lead to violence.
An underground world lives in the dark, underneath and behind the rules of society the rest of us abide by in order ot have a secure and orderly environment.
Police, DEA, prisons – more of everything and it costs money and lives.
We are the market for the drugs. I’ve never seen any evidence that we’re ‘winning’ – use of certain drugs do fluctuate up and down, but I think that’s mostly because new and often more lethal cocktails and designer drugs ccome into and go out of ‘fashion.’
I see what you mean. I’m not sure about behaviors being pushed into that world being bad for all of us. It is certainly something to take into account though.
I really appreciate your SANE and HONEST perspective. Reading this article by a conservative is proof to me that some minds are heading in the right direction.
I will go on and say that while you may have the perception of pothead as the lazy unproductive oaf, I see a totally different view.
If one happens to be a lazy, unproductive oaf, then it is more likely that they will choose a drug habit than another recreational activity. Not the other way around. I have seen no evidence that marijuana “creates” loosers, but I have seen many loosers who choose to smoke it – usually in greater quantities than a normal marijuana user would.
Compulsive people make marijuana “bad”, responsible people have no reason for it to be illegal……
Let me tell you my story:
I have everything in life I have ever wanted. No goal too large, no idea out of reach, by capitalist definition, I am NO looser. Musically inclined, mathematically inclined, and technologically inclined.
I work in the Design/Print industry, for the marketing division of one of the worlds largest clothing retailers. I will not mention the name, but you probably have one in your city 😉 I manage mission critical servers and digital assets, as well as offer creative support to the designers, etc… In my 3 years, I have never “gone to pot” so to speak. I have only improved things, despite the layoffs of many, I am still here because through my effort I have made myself an asset to the companies processes.
Before my current position, I worked for Apple, my title was “Creative” – during that time I hosted workshops and taught seminars about audio recording software. I was flown to the Stanford Linear Accelerator Lab to teach nuclear physicists about monitoring differential algorithms using Fourier Transformed wave translations in Apples software. Not bad for a stoner, eh?
I also trade stocks, I run an online bookstore, and I am far from living check to check……
Pot actually contributes to my career – how so you ask?
After years of enjoying it, I can see outside the box, giving me creative ideas that others do not have as quickly, simply I am detached from my work just enough to not take it so seriously that I become mentally burdened and less productive.
Remember the movie office space? When the main character visited a hypnotist who left him totally disconnected from life? Pot did have a similar effect, I now take things less seriously, but in a functional and POSITIVE WAY. I am just detached enough to push through obstacles without frustration dragging me down, and just attached enough to care about the outcome.
In my past three years working for the company I am currently with, I have saved my division over 2 million dollars with innovative tech that saves time, and resources.
And I did it while I was very high, oh yes, very high……
Take Care………
Chris
Another story from the plus side. It’s probably 30 years since the last time I smoked pot – I was laying on the LR couch, listening to Chuck Mangione – at the insistsence of a friend who kept telling me I didn’t know how to listen to jazz. So she handed me a joint, put on the record and left me alone.
I heard it. As it was MEANT to be heard. And ever since that singular afternoon, I have known how to listen to jazz. I just needed my eyes opened. Didn’t need the weed after that; the music and me do just fine on our own.
Hey, I’m doing a report on decriminialization of marijuana, and since you seem somewhat educated on the topic I was wondering if you coudl help me out…
As a minor, would decriminalization make pot available to grow and possess for me?
What are the differences between legalization and decriminalization?
And on a side note, as someone who regularly smokes, I do pretty well in school, I’m currently a sophmore in highschool and next year I plan on doing running start (a program where I take college classes and graduate with my AA on top of my diploma). I’ve noticed that I don’t really have chronic depression, or paranoia or anythign really, but I tend to get a little ticked off if I can’t smoke for a few days. And in regards to it being called a gateway drug I think this is complete bs. The only reason why it is viewed as one is because its cheap and readily available, so soon-to-be-addicts start with weed then move up on the drug scale. I’ve been smoking for almost three years now, and I won’t touch any drugs. In my opinion pot shouldn’t even be classified as a drug.
Steve
I would add a little color to Timmy’s definition of decriminalization. You might compare it to alcohol. It was once a criminal offense to buy or sell or use. (imagine!) When it was ‘de”criminalized, it moved it into the realm of regulations, where only gross violations can get you in criminal trouble as Timmy said. But we all accept that there are regs about age, driving etc.
Legalization is really a misnomer – no substances are ever entirely legalized – they’re all subject to one rule or another.
I don’t buy that ‘gateway’ drug argument, but in a climate such as we have today with mandatory sentencing I would urge you to drop the smoking. You’ll be edgy for a few days but that will pass.
You’re young and it sounds like you’re building a productive and fulfilling life. Don’t jepordize that – you could see it all come crashing down in a minute if you got into the wrong kind of legal trouble.
Steve,
I would say you are the exception rather than the rule. No one is saying you can’t be a good successful person or student while smoking. The point is that smoking pot usually only hinders some while severely hurting others.
Decriminalizing only means that you wont be sent to jail for minor offenses. It would be more along the lines of being issued a ticket if you wear caught. In theory, easing the punishment may create more access to it as more people would be willing to risk being caught. However in no case will you be allowed to legally posses it or grow it.
Hey,
Thanks for your responces this has helped me quite a bit,
For our paper we have to have a claim, mine is still in the work, but its basically something along the lines of marijuana being helpful if it was decriminalized, but we have to have some support to back it, so far the only support I have is that currently there is mistreatment, and somewhat twisted laws about it (in Arizona/texas and other southern states if caught with marijuana you can end up in jail longer than a rapist), but I need more support. I was wondering if you guys have any ideas?
And thanks for the advice Moe, I’m actually super careful about where I smoke/ where I bring weed. Just yesterday our school had a drug bust, the county brought in 4 dogs and like 7 police cars, it was mayhem, but since I realized early on that one MIP could potentially ruin my life I have been overly cautious. I just smoke because it relaxes me, if doctors could find a safe prescription to simply relax people I might not have to smoke!
[if doctors could find a safe prescription to simply relax people I might not have to smoke!]
They won’t. And you don’t have to. Yoga!
“marijuana being helpful if it was decriminalized”
I think the points you should stick to for decriminalization is the possible increase in revenue for the government . The increase of availability of time for law enforcement and courts due to less criminal charges and how marijuana is unfairly punished.
Never thought of the revenue side! And freeing the courts up – and the police and that entire establishment. Cool
Thanks so much! You guys have been a big help to my report!
This post has some sound logic but so many points are just flawed and lacking evidence or support.
The Myth of the Gateway Drug: Absolutely. You are 100% correct about this. The idea of marijuana being a gateway drug is mostly a product of its illegal status. Because marijuana is not sold in regulation at selected retail shops, it is ultimately up to the drug dealer who buys his/her product. Obviously this aspect of the sale will mean absolutely nothing to the drug dealer. Money is money. It is also important to keep in mind that there are plenty of drug dealers that sell more than just marijuana. With marijuana being a popular product on the black market, it is very feasible to see an avid marijuana consumer being confronted by their dealer with some other options (drugs, of course).
Will Decriminalization Increase Use?: No. There shouldn’t be any reason for this…mostly because the idea of decriminalization, overall, is very silly and illogical. How can it be permissible to possess, consume, and carry marijuana, yet, it is still illegal to grow and purchase it. Decriminalization is a loop hole for states to laxen their marijuana policy without violating federal law. Marijuana is still very illegal under federal law. This too is important to keep in mind.
I hate to use trite examples and precedents such as the alcohol prohibition…but there were more speakeasies in the United States during the prohibition than there are pubs/taverns today. An increase in availability should not be associated with legalization. In all honesty, it is much easier to get a hold of a drug dealer and purchase an amount of marijuana than it is going out and trying to buy a six pack at a gas station. Regulated retail sale is the only way to assure that marijuana use is an adult, responsible decision (as it should be). Again, this goes back to my point that the black market status of marijuana attributes more to the worse.
How will the mind qualities of marijuana affect our society?: Lower productivity, personal issues, and all such side effects are independent of marijuana use. It really seems that you just look down upon marijuana users. Which, in my opinion, is fine. However, you’re not making a point. You’re just frowning upon “stoners.” What is a marijuana smoker? Can you spot one? Is any lazy individual a marijuana smoker? This claim is absolutely ridiculous. Literally almost every presidential candidate in the last couple of decades has used marijuana. The zeal and productivity of an individual is rooted in the individual. Other drugs such as caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol are all less healthy and addictive. Yet, there are plenty of productive, active citizens who consume all of these.
In reference to your comment about marijuana being the cause of reckless driving and accidents: Please show me evidence of a driver killing a pedestrian. Please show me evidence of marijuana being the cause of a grotesque car wreck.
This country has misinformed and skewed the perception of the American people. I feel that it is no coincidence that narcotics educational programs instituted in public schools (such as D.A.R.E., etc) are referred to as “alcohol AND drug awareness programs.” As if alcohol was beyond a drug…it is, in my opinion, one of the most harmful and problematic drugs in our country today. It is no coincidence that many state and district attorneys are seeking to charge drivers responsible for death under the influence with murder as opposed to manslaughter.
I have no idea where you people live, but I have smoked marijuana almost everyday for the past year or so and I have full heartedly denied the use of cocaine and other hard drugs. Every time, all the time. It is a personal choice to consume marijuana. I believe that alcohol would impair MUCH more than marijuana. Why isn’t that a gateway drug to the harder stuff? In fact, now that I think about it…almost every true alcoholic (and yes, by true I mean, actually diagnosed…) I’ve ever met in my life is an avid cocaine user. I believe none of them smoke marijuana.
I would gladly highlight how marijuana holds a very important place in the history of country, but I feel that it would be a tad irrelevant.
Legalize it.
Respectfully,
The “lazy, trouble-ridden stoner” who is successfully pursuing two degrees in engineering, a minor in chemistry, the founder and officer of 3 active clubs and organizations, varsity athlete, and honors student.
Thanks for the opinion, L.R.
“Decriminalization Increase Use?: No” Thats debatable.
“How can it be permissible to possess…”
It is not permissible to possess or consume, it just won’t by punished criminally.
“Mind Qualities.. However, you’re not making a point… just frowning on stoners ”
I referenced three different studies that prove the negative affects marijuana have on people. It is not an opinion it is a fact.
“Literally almost every presidential candidate… smoked pot”
Does this prove you point? You can smoke pot and do anything you want.. the point is marijuana is only going to hinder you in the process. I don’t understand how you can argue that.
“What is a marijuana smoker? Can you spot one?”
What does this have to do with anything? I can smell one..
Haha, San Francisco is in America guy, lol. But ya, we should definitely legalize weed. It’s a miracle plant! http://stonerdiary.wordpress.com
BTW, ‘New Amsterdam’ is the former name of New York City. Only.
To some, people who are praying look like they are sitting around doing nothing, but I’m not one to judge. Anything any adult citizen freely chooses to do, or not do, that does not violate the same Constitutionally acknowledged freedoms and liberties of another, is none of anyone else’s business. Nor is it the business of government at any level. It is truely amazing here in the “land of the free” how few citizens can even define freedom, let alone recognize it. Personally, I do not want to live in the freest country on earth; I want to live in a free country.