The Vote on Marijuana

The Vote on Marijuana

I support the legalization of marijuana but hope we do our homework and pass the necessary laws about its use to avoid unintended consequences and ensure the benefits outweigh the risks.

Problems with Legalization

I watched an interesting program on 60 Minutes about what Colorado has learned since legalizing the use of marijuana. In one county, sales have created 1,300 jobs and sixty new businesses, which sounds impressive until you hear that most counties don’t allow the production and sale of recreational marijuana. This one county is reconsidering its status on the subject as well. The black market is still thriving and organized crime is creating problems in the county as they attempt to grow the plant in a legal state and transport it out—at double the price—to states where it is still illegal.

The birth of babies with the hallucinogenic THC from marijuana in their systems has risen dramatically. When asked, most mothers believe using marijuana during pregnancy is fine since it is used for medical purposes. Experts haven’t enough research evidence to know all the ramifications of how marijuana affects the growing brain, though they know it certainly does have an effect and highly recommend that anyone under twenty-one not be allowed to use it. The brain can continue to grow until the age of twenty-five.

Colorado is compiling data on the effect of Marijuana use on drivers and has some rise in accidents with people under its influence. The problem is partly that laws governing the use of alcohol do not translate well to the use of marijuana. Once alcohol clears the system, it has no further effect. Marijuana leaves residue in the fatty tissues, which includes the brain. How that may affect behavior still needs to be decided. The potency of today’s marijuana is four to five times higher today than in the eighties according to 60 Minutes, and experts advise careful labeling so people know exactly what they are buying.

The Benefits of Legalization

There is an advertisement airing now where an official from the state of Washington, which legalized the recreational use of marijuana, states that the financial benefits to schools and the police department have made the law worthwhile. No one debates that the taxes from legal sales and not having to prosecute and jail users and sellers will benefit state budgets and public services.

The illegal stigma of using marijuana will be gone, though I hope everyone can agree that like tobacco, it should not be used in indoor public arenas or where children can breathe it in. Personally, I hate the smell of both products and hope users are courteous to non-users.

Those who use marijuana for medical purposes should have an easier time acquiring what they need. The confusion and delay of making medical marijuana available has left a lot of people still buying it illegally in Massachusetts.

As with most social changes, we have to look at more than the financial benefits. We need to be aware of and prepare for possible problems. They aren’t insurmountable.