Pubdate: Tue, 12 Nov 2002
Source: Technician, The (NC State University)
Copyright: 2002 The Technician
Contact:  http://technicianonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2268
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n2086/a11.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

NEW MARIJUANA STUDIES AND PROPOSALS REVISIT OLD DEBATE

After a new study released by the British Lung Foundation alleges newfound 
dangers of smoking cannabis, a new debate ignited about the dangers of 
legalization. While there are many solid arguments made to legalize 
marijuana, it seems wrong to make yet another vice more accessible than it 
already is.

Marijuana advocates make a strong case for its legalization. While this new 
study suggests that marijuana cigarettes are approximately 7 times worse 
than tobacco cigarettes, advocates still make the case that if the dangers 
of tobacco can be taken into consideration before smoked, then marijuana 
users should have the same ability. Advocates of pot also stress how 
overworked the judicial system is trying pot smokers and the strain it puts 
on the government financially.

A lot of money could also be available from the legalization of marijuana. 
If taxed similarly to tobacco, the government could possibly have a new 
source of revenue. The question remains if the public wants education paid 
for by marijuana taxation.

The credibility of the study is also in question, when not too long ago a 
Canadian study advocated the legalization of marijuana. With this constant 
flux in the state of information on cannabis, it becomes difficult to 
maintain a solid position on whether or not it should be legalized.

With tobacco and alcohol use as prevalent as they are, if we find out that 
marijuana is much worse, physically, for someone, is it wrong to make it 
any more readily available? While many proponents say that marijuana should 
be legalized due to it being a natural substance, that does not make it any 
better for people and no more fit for consumption on those grounds.

Still, marijuana use is not restricted to a minority in America. With many 
Americans being regular users and still more having experimented with pot, 
this debate will not be easily dismissed. With Nevada and Arizona both 
trying this election year to develop systems of lowering the charges placed 
upon people caught possessing small amounts of marijuana, the issue is 
finally coming from the development stage into the implementation stage.

Nineteen districts in Massachusetts were able to change marijuana 
possession from a criminal offense to a civil one. If these programs are 
successfully implemented, this issue will only get more intense.

With so many cases for medicinal marijuana use playing out and San 
Francisco exploring the possibility of a Medicinal Marijuana Production and 
Distribution Center, more and more advocates of marijuana legalization are 
stepping forward and under fire to ask questions that, until now, only 
appeared in High Times.

Problems arise with this new hopeful legislation, as it is only a partial 
legalization and would be difficult to maintain and enforce. With so many 
legal and law enforcement problems already caused by marijuana use, it is 
unwise to produce more by making half steps.

No matter how many angles the problem is viewed from, it is still a debate 
with more facets appearing daily, and one not readily fixed, but at least 
it is finally being looked into. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D