My feelings concerning the use of marijuana as a recreational drug have gone back and forth over the years. We should examine the question of legalization with a new national commission.
My decades in addiction medicine have taught me that keeping marijuana illegal has not decreased access to youth but in fact increased it. It is easier for under-age youth to get marijuana for that it is alcohol and cigarettes where at least you have to show an ID.
It’s a myth that cops, supposedly reflecting the will of an increasingly enlightened society, are no longer enforcing pot laws, or doing so only half-heartedly. Legalization will free police officers to concentrate on crimes that inflict the deepest fear, pain and loss.
Why We Should Not Legalize Marijuana
Various constituencies within the American Bar Association have discussed following the lead of one county bar association in Washington state, whose position is states should have authority over marijuana law.
Even with the U.S. economy struggling, we should not buy into the argument that vices should be legalized, taxed and regulated—no matter how much revenue we think it may generate. Significant cost burdens come with increased marijuana use.
One senator discusses the evolution of the state's thinking, from medical marijuana to decriminalization to even limited tax-and-regulate legalization.
Veteran anti-drug activist and Drug Free kids founder, Joyce Nalepka talks about her four-decade battle with the drug industry in and out of court and her work with Nancy Reagan.
The current approach skews the priorities of law enforcement to the detriment of the public. It keeps our prisons full to bursting at great expense and endangers the public by letting out the real criminals to make room for non-violent drug offenders.
Unlike performance-enhancing drugs, marijuana really doesn't have any benefits. By many accounts, it inhibits performance, impairs memory, hurts coordination and could affect the heart rate.