Pubdate: Fri, 26 Nov 2010
Source: Roanoke Times (VA)
Copyright: 2010 Roanoke Times
Contact:  http://www.roanoke.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/368
Author: Robert Sharpe
Note: Sharpe, of Arlington, is a board member of the Virginia Chapter 
of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
Referenced: HB 1443 http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?111+sum+HB1443
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?261 (Cannabis - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Robert+Sharpe

VIRGINIA SHOULD LEGALIZE POT

Virginia is one of 18 states where the government operates a monopoly 
on the distribution and sale of hard liquor. Virginia's Alcohol 
Beverage Control stores are a holdover from alcohol prohibition. 
Lasting from 1920 to 1933, alcohol prohibition was repealed when it 
became clear that prohibition was financing organized crime while 
failing miserably at preventing alcohol use.

Making the case for ABC privatization, Gov. Bob McDonnell has argued 
that selling alcohol is not a core government responsibility. Neither 
is criminalizing people who use marijuana.

State alcohol sales generate state revenue. Virginia brings in $324 
million a year from alcohol sales. Marijuana prohibition, on the 
other hand, squanders tax dollars and creates opportunity costs as 
police focus efforts on nonviolent consensual vices. Virginia police 
made 19,764 arrests for marijuana offenses in 2009. Six percent of 
all Virginia arrests are for marijuana offenses. Police time spent 
busting marijuana consumers is time not spent going after child 
molesters, rapists and murderers.

Virginia legislators will soon get a chance to end this misuse of 
police resources. In the upcoming 2011 General Assembly session, Del. 
Harvey Morgan, R-Gloucester, has proposed a bill to decriminalize 
marijuana possession. HB 1443 would replace criminal penalties for 
simple possession with a civil fine of $500. The bill does not reduce 
penalties for cultivation or distribution. Courts would still have 
the option of mandating substance abuse treatment for at-risk youth.

In the face of continued budget woes, Virginia legislators need to 
ask themselves a simple question. Which is the bigger priority? 
Locking up nonviolent marijuana offenders or saving the jobs of 
police officers, firefighters and teachers? The cost of incarcerating 
three marijuana offenders for a year more than covers the salary of a 
police officer, firefighter or teacher. Morgan's bill would save on 
criminal justice costs and generate millions in new revenue.

Morgan is no dope-smoking hippy; in fact, he is ideally suited to 
push the envelope on this once-controversial but increasingly 
mainstream issue. Morgan is a Republican member of the General 
Assembly and, more important, an assistant clinical professor of 
pharmacy at Virginia Commonwealth University's medical school. His 
bill is grounded in legitimate clinical expertise and fiscal conservatism.

Marijuana decriminalization admittedly faces an uphill battle in 
Virginia. Big government culture warriors will no doubt oppose HB 
1443. Make no mistake, marijuana prohibition is a cultural 
inquisition, not a public health campaign. If health outcomes instead 
of cultural norms determined drug laws, marijuana would be legal. 
Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose 
death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco.

Marijuana can be harmful if abused, but criminal records are 
inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents. 
Studies show that states that have decriminalized marijuana do not 
have higher rates of use than states that criminalize users. The U.S. 
has double the rate of marijuana use as the Netherlands, where 
marijuana is legally available.

This is the type of abject government failure that should outrage 
proponents of limited government. Tax dollars are being wasted on a 
failed government program. Public safety resources are being diverted 
to further a punitive nanny state built upon a hypocritical version 
of morality.

The ideological arguments being used to make the case for Alcohol 
Beverage Control privatization apply to marijuana law reform. 
Criminalizing citizens who prefer marijuana to martinis is not an 
appropriate role for government.

Fiscally conservative Republicans and tea partiers who truly believe 
in liberty and limited government will support marijuana decriminalization.

Democrats who privately support marijuana law reform but fear the 
soft-on-drugs label need to get smart-on-drugs and get behind HB 
1443. They've got a conservative Republican leading the way for them.

Bottom line, Virginia can no longer afford to subsidize the 
prejudices of culture warriors.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake