Pubdate: Sun, 3 Jan 2010
Source: San Angelo Standard-Times (TX)
Copyright: 2010 The E.W. Scripps Co.
Contact: http://www.gosanangelo.com/forms/lettertoeditor/
Website: http://www.gosanangelo.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/865
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion)

LEGAL SMOKING OF MARIJUANA POSSIBLE SOON

SAN ANGELO, Texas -- Among the not-so-wild forecasts inspired by 
end-of-decade musings is this one: Within a few years, millions of 
Americans may be legally smoking marijuana.

That would have seemed an outlandish notion just a few years ago, but 
no longer. Consider:

. Fourteen states have laws that make use of marijuana legal for 
medical purposes, and in several of those states the bar for 
prescribing the drug is low.

. Thirteen states have decriminalized marijuana possession, 
essentially treating it like a civil infraction, and others are 
considering following suit.

. Supporters of a measure to legalize marijuana use by any adult in 
California say they have enough signatures to get the issue on the 
ballot this year, and polls indicate it likely would pass.

. A recent Gallup Poll showed a sharp rise in the number of Americans 
who support legalizing marijuana -- 44 percent, up from 36 percent 
just five years ago.

There is, however, an obstacle to the drive toward marijuana 
becoming, as one proponent put it, "just another brand of beer," and 
it is significant: Under federal law, marijuana use is illegal. 
Unless Congress reverses itself -- and the polls would have to shift 
enormously for that to happen -- state laws legalizing pot would have 
to clear court challenges, and past rulings suggest federal law would prevail.

Enforcement, however, is another matter, and on that point the future 
is less clear. In October, the Obama administration announced that it 
would not prosecute those who prescribe or use medicinal marijuana. 
"We will not use our limited resources in the fight against the 
marijuana trade against those people who are using it consistent with 
state law and to fight serious illnesses, such as cancer or other 
diseases," said Attorney General Eric Holder.

Resources will be no less limited in the next one or three or seven 
years, so even though an administration official says recreational 
use won't be tolerated, President Obama may face a decision about 
whether to give tacit approval to marijuana use by declining to crack 
down. That could set up an interesting showdown if the next president 
were to take a tougher approach, particularly if millions of people 
in several states already had been using the drug semi-legally for years.

The push toward legalization is occurring without much attention 
being paid to the potential consequences. Many advocates use the 
argument that marijuana taxes would bring needed revenue to local and 
state governments, but they typically ignore the social costs, 
including increased drug dependence, greater use by minors and, 
because the drug impairs motor skills, more traffic deaths and injuries.

There would be other health consequences -- marijuana smoke is more 
damaging to lungs than cigarette smoke, it increases the risk of 
heart attack and, used long-term, it can cause brain damage.

Marijuana isn't the dangerous, mind-frying drug it once was portrayed 
as, nor can a compelling case be made that it is a "gateway" drug -- 
while it's true that nearly all who use cocaine or heroine started 
with marijuana, it's just as true that most who smoke pot don't 
graduate to those harder drugs.

Punishment for marijuana use has properly been reduced over the 
years, and there can be legitimate debate about whether Texas laws 
are still too harsh.

Yet the accelerating national move toward legalization is troubling. 
Marijuana's significant negative physical and psychological effects 
deserve much more attention from those who think laws should permit 
them to walk into a store and buy it. Smoking dope is funny when 
Cheech and Chong do it, but the real-life effects aren't always so comical.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake