Real World Ramifications of Cannabis Legalization & Decriminalization

[Jim Finnel]

Last week Rhode Island became the fifth state this legislative session to introduce legislation seeking to legalize and regulate the adult use, possession, production, and distribution of non-medical marijuana. Also last week lawmakers in the Hawaii Senate approved legislation seeking to ‘decriminalize’ (replace criminal penalties with civil fines) marijuana possession offenses — a policy reform that now exists in thirteen states.

Opponents of such liberalization proposals inevitably argue that any efforts toward decriminalizing or legalizing cannabis will adversely impact the public’s use of marijuana and/or young people’s attitudes toward it. Yet regional data gleaned from around the word consistently demonstrates that the imposition and enforcement of harsh criminal marijuana penalties do not dissuade cannabis use, and moreover, that criminalization is an objectively ineffective public policy.

To better educate lawmakers, opinion leaders, and our own constituents of this consistent, comprehensive, and growing body of scientific literature, NORML has authored the following white paper, Real World Ramifications of Cannabis Legalization and Decriminalization. This paper reviews dozens studies that have examined this issue in regions that have either:

a) regulated marijuana use and sales for all adults;

b) decriminalized the possession of small quantities of marijuana for adults;

c) medicalized the use of marijuana to certain authorized individuals; or

d) deprioritized the enforcement of marijuana laws.

NORML’s paper also proposes general guidelines to govern marijuana use, production, and distribution in a legal, regulated manner.

Based on the multi-decade experiences of various states and nations that have enacted various versions of marijuana decriminalization and/or legalization, NORML maintains that:

1. Strict government legalization/regulation of marijuana is unlikely to increase the public’s use of marijuana or significantly influence attitudes.

2. Decriminalization is unlikely to increase the public’s use of marijuana or significantly influence attitudes.

3. Free market legalization of marijuana without strict government restrictions on commercialization and marketing is likely to increase marijuana use among the public; however, given that the United States already has the highest per capita marijuana use rates in the world, this increase is likely to be marginal relative to other nation’s experiences.

Spread the word…

Full text of the paper can be found here.


NewsHawk: User: 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: opposingviews.com
Author: Paul Armentano
Copyright: 2010 Opposing Views, Inc.
Contact: Contact Us
Website: Opposing Views: Real World Ramifications of Cannabis Legalization & Decriminalization

• Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article

 

[SSNUGS]

They just don't want to show there anti drug teachings and all of the taxpayers money used to teach these lies to our youth and to help feed the prison systems across the U.S.A. It's always been a failed policy and they have gottin in to deep to change it.

 

[420warriors]

All these papers being written and put on here are great and very informative. I was just wondering, is NORML or anyone else putting this information in the right hands to be seen and make a difference?

 

[notrax420]

there will always be fearmongers. that has never stopped humans from pursuing new and improved ways.

Imagine if every explorer heeded warning and played it safe to never sail off the edge of our "flat earth"

Any expansion or new ways require risk and taking a chance on the unknown. The sad part is most of the "unknown" regarding marijuana has been research and is now known information.

Once you realize the Earth is round, would there still be a push to not let anyone sail off the edge of earth?

 

[Ziminy]

Yes, who is actually seeing them? I've found out so much information since I started growing, but if I hadn't looked for it, I wouldn't know most of what is going on with legalization.

Hundreds of news stories here, or when searched for, but neither my local paper nor local news team ever mention any of it.

Who is campaigning to get this info out to the general public? It's actually a HUGE EFFORT to find the information if you want it. Sifting through crappy articles to find well-written legitimate ones, and then most of those seem relegated to growing/hobby sites.