T
The420Guy
Guest
Just marijuana. For the time being, forget about cocaine, heroin,
ecstasy, and any other powerful narcotic. The prospect of making those
drugs legal is just too scary for Mr. and Mrs. Middle America.
Marijuana is the only drug that a majority of voters support
legalizing. According to a 2001 Zogby poll commissioned by the NORML
Foundation, 61% of Americans say they oppose arresting and jailing
nonviolent marijuana smokers.
If we could legalize marijuana (both at the state and federal level),
several immediate benefits would accrue.
First, about 646,000 Americans would not be arrested for marijuana
possession next year. That's how many were arrested for simple
possession in 2000, according to figures from the Federal Bureau of
Investigation's Uniform Crime Report.
And that's 646,000 individuals who would not face the shame, cost,
fear, inconvenience -- and possible criminal record -- that comes with
being dragged through the criminal justice system.
Second, it would free billions of dollars -- and many of the 19,000
state and local police who work full-time on drug cases -- to go after
dangerous criminals. In 2000, police arrested only 625,243 violent
criminals for murder, rape, robbery, or aggravated assault. That's
fewer than the number of pot-smokers they arrested.
According to FBI statistics, only 63.1% of murders and 46.9% of
forcible rapes were "cleared" in 2000 -- that is, either referred to
court or withdrawn. Which means that four of every 10 murderers and
five of every 10 rapists still walk free. Imagine how many of those
brutal thugs would be behind bars if the time and energy spent
arresting 646,000 marijuana users had, instead, been redirected to
solving murders and sexual assaults.
Finally, legalizing pot would mean medical marijuana patients would no
longer have to fear arrest for the "crime" of trying to treat
glaucoma, the side effects of chemotherapy, and other illnesses.
Other countries have already ended the War on Marijuana. In October
2002, for example, Great Britain reclassified marijuana so it is no
longer an arrestable offense. It's time for America to follow suit.
ecstasy, and any other powerful narcotic. The prospect of making those
drugs legal is just too scary for Mr. and Mrs. Middle America.
Marijuana is the only drug that a majority of voters support
legalizing. According to a 2001 Zogby poll commissioned by the NORML
Foundation, 61% of Americans say they oppose arresting and jailing
nonviolent marijuana smokers.
If we could legalize marijuana (both at the state and federal level),
several immediate benefits would accrue.
First, about 646,000 Americans would not be arrested for marijuana
possession next year. That's how many were arrested for simple
possession in 2000, according to figures from the Federal Bureau of
Investigation's Uniform Crime Report.
And that's 646,000 individuals who would not face the shame, cost,
fear, inconvenience -- and possible criminal record -- that comes with
being dragged through the criminal justice system.
Second, it would free billions of dollars -- and many of the 19,000
state and local police who work full-time on drug cases -- to go after
dangerous criminals. In 2000, police arrested only 625,243 violent
criminals for murder, rape, robbery, or aggravated assault. That's
fewer than the number of pot-smokers they arrested.
According to FBI statistics, only 63.1% of murders and 46.9% of
forcible rapes were "cleared" in 2000 -- that is, either referred to
court or withdrawn. Which means that four of every 10 murderers and
five of every 10 rapists still walk free. Imagine how many of those
brutal thugs would be behind bars if the time and energy spent
arresting 646,000 marijuana users had, instead, been redirected to
solving murders and sexual assaults.
Finally, legalizing pot would mean medical marijuana patients would no
longer have to fear arrest for the "crime" of trying to treat
glaucoma, the side effects of chemotherapy, and other illnesses.
Other countries have already ended the War on Marijuana. In October
2002, for example, Great Britain reclassified marijuana so it is no
longer an arrestable offense. It's time for America to follow suit.
