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Indiana's General Assembly in the session just concluded bucked the national trend on marijuana law.
Within criminal sentencing reforms, legislators stiffened penalties for people caught with small quantities of "pot."
A rising tide of public opinion nationwide, however, now favors legalizing marijuana. A poll by the Pew Research Center last month showed that 52 percent of Americans favor legalizing the use of marijuana; 45 percent do not.
The result is the first in more than four decades of polling in which the majority responding said that marijuana should be legal.
In addition, 65 percent of those born since 1980 favor legalizing the use of marijuana, up from just 36 percent in 2008, which suggests even more acceptance in the future.
Eighteen states and the District of Columbia since 1970 have relaxed their laws on marijuana use, most to allow its use for medical purposes only. The momentum is snowballing, with at least a half dozen more states, including Illinois, now actively deliberating change.
Although it doesn't appear that Indiana's conservative legislators will take up the topic any time soon, if they were to, they could learn from the challenges other states are navigating. Michigan's law, for example, contains such huge loopholes for self-reported conditions, it appears to be greatly abused.
With more and more states moving to decriminalize the use of medical marijuana, should it be legal in every state -- including Indiana?
Surely some patients have been helped. Use is growing. Perhaps the best answer is for federal agencies to find a way to standardize and regulate marijuana in the same way they do narcotics for those who demonstrate an objective medical need for it.
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: southbendtribune.com
Author: southbendtribune.com
Contact: Contact us - southbendtribune.com
Website: Should medical marijuana be legal in Indiana? - southbendtribune.com
Within criminal sentencing reforms, legislators stiffened penalties for people caught with small quantities of "pot."
A rising tide of public opinion nationwide, however, now favors legalizing marijuana. A poll by the Pew Research Center last month showed that 52 percent of Americans favor legalizing the use of marijuana; 45 percent do not.
The result is the first in more than four decades of polling in which the majority responding said that marijuana should be legal.
In addition, 65 percent of those born since 1980 favor legalizing the use of marijuana, up from just 36 percent in 2008, which suggests even more acceptance in the future.
Eighteen states and the District of Columbia since 1970 have relaxed their laws on marijuana use, most to allow its use for medical purposes only. The momentum is snowballing, with at least a half dozen more states, including Illinois, now actively deliberating change.
Although it doesn't appear that Indiana's conservative legislators will take up the topic any time soon, if they were to, they could learn from the challenges other states are navigating. Michigan's law, for example, contains such huge loopholes for self-reported conditions, it appears to be greatly abused.
With more and more states moving to decriminalize the use of medical marijuana, should it be legal in every state -- including Indiana?
Surely some patients have been helped. Use is growing. Perhaps the best answer is for federal agencies to find a way to standardize and regulate marijuana in the same way they do narcotics for those who demonstrate an objective medical need for it.
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: southbendtribune.com
Author: southbendtribune.com
Contact: Contact us - southbendtribune.com
Website: Should medical marijuana be legal in Indiana? - southbendtribune.com
