Straight thinking on marijuana
I’ve smoked one marijauana cigarette in my entire life, and it didn’t do a thing for me.
So while the world hails President-elect Obama, I’m glad to view a little-noticed proposition that won approval in Massachusetts as another straw in the wind of America’s ability to change.
Voters there approved, by a margin of 65 to 35 percent, Proposition 2 that will decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. Massachusetts thus becomes the 12th American state to take such action.
Considering the hypocrisy that has stigmatized marijuana in a society that relies heavily of drugs for recreational purposes (alcohol, tobacco) and alleviation of medical symptoms (pharmaceuticals) while steadfastly refusing to acknowledge its relative harmlessness, this is a quite encouraging turn of events.
The Attorney General of the state, Martha Coakley, and all 11 district attorneys had oppoosed the proposition. As usual, they argued that pot use is a gateway to hard drug consumption.
Now they’re busy trying to figure out how to implement the new policy, as state law requires anything approved by the voters to become law within thirty days.
Possession of small amounts of marijuana in the state is now punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a $500 fine.
Once the new law takes effect, those caught with an ounce or less of pot will face a civil offense punishable by a $100 fine.
And it means that the conviction and jailing of marijauna users (mostly young people) will become a thing of the past.
In so many ways, the United States is a harsh and vindictive society. It imposes penalties at levels far beyond what can be considered reasonable, which not only cost the public a great deal of money in law enforcenment and incarceration, but cause great damage to individual lives.
Perhaps the gradual decriminalization of marijuana in the United States will encourage Canada to take similar action. A royal commission recommended Canada decriminalize marijuana more than thirty years ago. The cry against such action has been led by fear of disapproval in the U.S., and consequent retaliation at the border by American authorities.
Come on Canada, show some guts — especially when our neighbors to the south are moving ahead to humanize their legislation.
The aim of laws on substance abuse should be to find medical, not criminal solutions. By and large, the greatest danger to the public is not from the consumption of illegal drugs, but from the crimes people commit to find the money that fuels the profits of the illegal drug trade. Get rid of the profits, and we’ll get rid of most of the problems.
