Pubdate: Mon, 11 May 2009
Source: Desert Dispatch, The (Victorville, CA)
Copyright: 2009 Freedom Communications, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.desertdispatch.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3218

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION ON THE TABLE

It seems sudden, though support for a more common-sense approach to 
marijuana has been quietly building for years now, virtually unseen 
by most politicians. But Gov. Schwarzenegger's comment on Tuesday 
that "I think it's time for a debate" on the subject of legalizing, 
regulating and taxing marijuana in California seems to have elevated 
the topic to a much more serious level.

CNN did a thoughtful and balanced piece on the subject, and the New 
York Times ran a news article. In addition to the Field Poll survey 
showing that 56 percent of Californians favor legalizing, taxing and 
regulating marijuana similarly to alcohol, a nationwide Zogby poll 
commissioned by the conservative-leaning O'Leary Report found 52 
percent of Americans nationwide favor something similar. That's up 
from 46 percent in a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll.

Stephen Gutwillig, California director of the reformist Drug Policy 
Alliance, told us that the contrast between now and January, when San 
Francisco Democratic Assemblyman Tom Ammiano introduced a marijuana 
legalization bill, has been remarkable. "In January, while some of 
the coverage was serious, much of it had a joking tone," Mr. 
Gutwillig said. "This time almost all of the coverage is serious, 
suggesting that legalization has come close to being a mainstream issue."

Obviously many Americans are ready for more than a debate, although 
that would be welcome. Given that the federal government estimates 
that 15 million Americans smoked marijuana in any given month, 
prohibition is obviously not working, and it channels money to 
ruthless criminals rather than to honest businesspeople and the 
government. A serious discussion of alternatives to prohibition is overdue.

Portugal decriminalized most previously illicit drugs in 2001, 
meaning there can be civil penalties ­ a fine and/or mandatory 
treatment ­ for possession or use but no criminal penalties. One 
result is that usage of almost every previously illicit drug, among 
all age groups, is lower in Portugal than in countries with harsher drug laws.

It is clear that legalizing marijuana would provide a certain amount 
of relief in California's current budget crisis, eliminating about 
half a billion in enforcement costs and bringing in tax revenues that 
have been estimated at $1.3 billion. That alone makes such a reform 
worth considering.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart