First Dance with Mary Jane?
In recent years, the effectiveness of stiff criminal penalties for drug use demanded by the "War on Drugs" has been questioned. With policies for the possession and use of marijuana varying widely from state to state and mainstream shows like The Wire highlighting the problems with current drug laws and enforcement, it's hardly surprising that some states are showing an eagerness to change.
According to the Valley Advocate, Representatives Barney Frank (D-MA) and Ron Paul (R-TX) are sponsoring legislation that would remove federal penalties for marijuana possession in small amounts. At the state level, it seems Massachusetts voters could have the choice of voting to decriminalize marijuana possession at the polls this November.
So what impact could that have on drug laws?
First of all, it's important to understand the difference between "decriminalization" and "legalization." If the Massachusetts measure makes it onto the ballot (which required advocates to collect a certain number of signatures from Massachusetts voters), and if it passes, marijuana would remain illegal in the state.
Possessing one ounce or less, however, would no longer lead to criminal penalties. Instead, adults found to have a small amount of pot would reportedly be charged with a civil infraction, and charged a $100 fine. Anyone younger than 18 caught with marijuana would be required to complete a drug education course, according to sources.
In other words, the new law would change the penalty system for those caught with weed.
Decriminalization = Saving Money?
It seems the main argument currently used by decriminalization activists is that of saving money for Massachusetts law enforcement. Evidently, the current annual cost of arresting and processing those in possession of one ounce or less of marijuana reaches a startling $29.5 million in the Bay State alone.
If similar legislation were passed at the national level, sources estimate that federal, state and local law enforcement agencies would see $7.7 billion saved annually.
But financial arguments aren't the only ones supporting decriminalization of marijuana. Reports show that, in Massachusetts, 7,500 new criminal records are created each year solely for those arrested for possession of one ounce or less of the reefer. And those 7,500 people are then strapped with criminal records that can impede their ability to get a job, an apartment or a loan.
Crime and Ganja
Though some oppose the decriminalization of marijuana (also sometimes called "hash" or "cheeba") with the argument that drug use is linked to crime, data from states in which marijuana has already been decriminalized suggest otherwise.
Sources indicate that, in the 11 states where weed has been decriminalized, no increase in crime has been recorded and no increase in use has been seen.Further, some opponents of decriminalized marijuana insist that such a law will encourage drivers to get behind the wheel while impaired. But studies have shown that the vast majority of impaired drivers are under the influence of alcohol, a legal drug.
Another argument runs that the toxins from smoking marijuana are physically harmful and shouldn't be made legal - but, of course, supporters of drug reform point out that cigarettes contain similar toxins and are legal for adults.
Drug Laws & Voters
Since 2000, organizations supporting marijuana reform and drug laws have reportedly introduced public policy questions to Massachusetts voters. Such questions are non-binding and are sometimes used by lawmakers to get a feel of what constituents are thinking.
While topics included legalization of medical marijuana, industrial hemp growing and state-regulated and taxed sales of marijuana (to adults), the majority concerned decriminalization of pot. Every question, according to sources, was approved by a majority of voters.
This support seems to mimic a nationwide trend: Reason reports that a California appeals court recently ruled that limiting the amount of medical marijuana that patients can possess is unconstitutional. And conservatives and liberals alike have taken exception with some of the racially unequal sentences and punishments current drug laws have led to.
The issue of marijuana and drugs in the United States is gathering steam - perhaps, in the coming years, politicians and policymakers will be forced to address what has traditionally been an uncomfortable and divisive debate.
