Marijuana has recently been in the news and not just because Canada’s golden-haired gift to the U.S. was reportedly seen indulging in the drug with friends.
Instead, marijuana has been at the core of the drug debate because of its ever-changing legality status. In November, recreational marijuana was legalized in Washington and Colorado, in addition to the states where it is already legal for medicinal purposes.
Though few states have decriminalized marijuana, part of me believes recreational marijuana should be legal in every state. This means, much like in Colorado and Washington, adults over the age of 21 should be allowed to possess up to an ounce of the drug — without foregoing Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID) provisions to protect against potentially harmful incidents.
There aren’t many differences between marijuana and a lot of other legal substances. When compared to alcohol, tobacco and even caffeine and refined sugar, the effects of marijuana seem rather minimal.
Many believe in the old adage, “People always want what they can’t have.” By making a product off limits, that product quickly becomes much more desirable. Much like the speakeasies during the Prohibition era, marijuana has an underground subculture — which, for some, heightens the excitement surrounding the mellow drug. If we legalize it for adults over 21 and continue to educate youth on the side effects, a portion of the allure will weaken.
There is also the argument that marijuana is the gateway drug. However, don’t you think it’s possibly during back-alley transactions when people are introduced to more harmful drugs? Wouldn’t this opportunity for exposure diminish if the drug were sold at a liquor store?
Lastly, there is the economic factor, which should be highly considered. You do not have to be a student in the Poole College of Management to know that the economy is in rough shape and could use any boost. According to Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron, if the government were to legalize marijuana, it would save $7.7 billion annually by not having to enforce the current ban of the drug. Moreover, Miron also suggests that the legalization would create an additional $6 billion per year in revenue if the government taxed marijuana at rates similar to that of alcohol and tobacco.
Between the economic advantages, the possibility of diminishing exposure to other drugs and making it less desirable by acceptance, the legalization of marijuana could have some definite benefits. Also, let’s be honest, I am not interested in hearing so-called breaking news involving a young pop star smoking with one of his buddies. Marijuana is only as criminal as society wants it to be, but compared with what else is out there in the world, I do not think it is our biggest problem.
