Pubdate: Tue, 10 May 2011
Source: Bangor Daily News (ME)
Copyright: 2011 Bangor Daily News Inc.
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/MWLhV21W
Website: http://www.bangordailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/40

STIRRING THE POT: LEGALIZE OR NOT?

The Maine Debate this week centers on a drug that has been demonized
and celebrated: marijuana. Join our online discussion on the Opinion
page of bangordailynews.com. Editorial Page Editor Susan Young and
Assistant Editorial Page Editor Tom Groening will be moderating the
discussion and chiming in with comments and questions between 10 a.m.
and noon Tuesday, May 10, though readers are encouraged to engage on
the question before and after that time. Rep. Diane Russell,
D-Portland, who has proposed legalization of marijuana, also will
participate in the discussion Tuesday morning.

The argument by those who maintain that marijuana should remain on the
list of illegal substances hasn't changed much over the decades.
Smoking (or eating) the substance produces a "high," a state that is
similar to intoxication. It also produces a state described as mildly
hallucinogenic. It leaves people impaired, critics say, and so should
be classified with other drugs such as cocaine, heroin and LSD.

Using the drug, opponents of legalization say, leads to the use of
other, more dangerous drugs. And legalizing it, they say, will make it
more widely available to children and teens.

Proponents of legalization assert that recreational use is relatively
harmless. It does not create physical dependency, there are few
long-term health risks associated with regular use, and its affects,
while they do fall under the category of impairment, do not cause
users to act violently or to have blackouts, proponents of
legalization say. Proponents of legalization also argue that if
marijuana were legalized, it would move a portion of the black market
economy into light, where it could generate significant tax revenue.

And perhaps one of the most compelling arguments in favor of
legalization, proponents say, is that it would put pot dealers out of
business. The so-called war on drugs, they say, drives up prices for
marijuana, which in turn raises the stakes for dealers and others in
the underground economy. That leads to violence, legalization
proponents say.

Would legalizing marijuana create a slippery slope? Would it send the
message to children and teens that using it has no consequences? And
what are the consequences of marijuana use? Proponents say the
substance is no different from alcohol; that is, if used at the right
times and in moderation, an adult can function well as a user.
Opponents argue that daily use can dull initiative and intelligence;
and there are some studies that suggest it reduces the sex drive in
men.

Is there a moral component to this debate? Should laws prohibit - or
at least inhibit - people from using mind-altering substances? What
about the nation's experience with making alcohol illegal - is it
analogous to the pot debate?
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.