Sun Blogs: Re:Creation
If Pot Were Legal: Pros and Cons of an Alternate World
April 21, 2009 - 11:00pmAs a blogger, my job is often to present news stories and provide commentary so as to begin a conversation. Sometimes, though, an article comes along where you don't have to do much talking.
NPR released a fictional news story on April 20 on its "All Things Considered" radio program. The question they considered was simple: What if marijuana had been legal in the US for two years and was treated like alcohol in terms of taxation, regulation and who it could be sold to? What would the world be like?
This article comes nearly a month after President Obama held a virtual town hall meeting in which he answered questions submitted via the WhiteHouse.gov Web site. One of the most popular questions he dealt with was whether to legalize marijuana to improve job creation and the economy.
"I don't know what this says about the online audience," Obama said, grinning before slipping into a slight chuckle. His response was brief, with no explanation before he moved on. "The answer is no, I don't think that is a good strategy to grow our economy."
To brush aside the issue was perhaps not Obama's best move. I have no firm opinions on the subject, though I have heard arguments from both sides of the issue and would have liked to heard Obama's rationale.
Thankfully, NPR was able to provide some information to consider. To understand how the world might change after legalizing pot, they consulted various experts, such as Jeffrey Miron, a Harvard economist who's researched the marijuana market, Gerry Goldstein, a prominent criminal defense attorney in San Antonio who's represented marijuana smokers and dealers, and Robert Almonte, director of the Texas Narcotic Officer's Association.
Some of the answers are predictable. More people would use it, and that nationwide academic performance would be affected since many new users would be college students. Others are more subtle. For instance, the Latin American drug cartels would not be crippled. Instead, they would develop and sell more potent marijuana along with cocaine and heroin, and would dabble in other forms of profitable crime such as human trafficking and kidnapping.
As I said, you should read the article to learn more. But NPR suggests legalizing marijuana would not be the magic bullet many hope or promise. Like many decisions, it would have both positive and detrimental effects, and would not cause certain things to change. In a world that often hopes for quick changes, it's a reminder to temper our optimism with caution.
either side
From either side of the fence, considering cannabis really is not very harmful, should we still keep locking up people for being caught with it? Is prison really the answer? Or losing any chance of financial aid for college if caught with any? Aren't we proving its bad consequences from using it, by creating the harm side effects ourselves?
If you choose to drink well that's ok, but if you prefer something that's less potent, less harmful well that's not ok! And worse we want to show you how bad it is by ruining your life, now are you scared to use it, no, we still keep using it, because it makes us feel good. I hate drinking, why is this allowed? I can promise you all, I have never done any of the crazy, dangerous, reckless, harmful to me and others acts on marijuana that I have done will drinking!
"For instance, the Latin
"For instance, the Latin American drug cartels would not be crippled. Instead, they would develop and sell more potent marijuana along with cocaine and heroin, and would dabble in other forms of profitable crime such as human trafficking and kidnapping."
This is just ridiculous. First of all, the cartels already do all of these things. To say that legalizing marijuana would just make the cartels "dabble" in different ways to make the same money is dream. There is neither the market nor the demand for any of these to enable the cartels to turn the same profits they are turning now. The 15 million americans who admit to government surveyors that they smoke regularly would definitely not take their money to the cocaine and heroin, especially when marijuana would be legal. We need to forget the thought that the cartels are the reason that people are doing these drugs. They are taking advantage of the opportunity to make immense amounts of money in an extremely short amount of time. This opportunity time and time again brings out the worst in people as they turn to violence, bribery, and intimidation to handle their business. The only way to stop this is to take the entire business away. Someone will always take the place of whoever we arrest or kill.
The other point that they would turn to kidnapping and human trafficking is also limited by its demands as well as the difference between the resources that these demand compared to that of marijuana. Marijuana is a WEED. it will grow almost anywhere with very simple care. As the amount available shows it is very easy to move very large amounts. They could not make the same amount of money from this incredibly easy task with the very difficult and incredibly high risk tasks of kidnapping and human trafficking.
And my last point. The cartel's marijuana is low quality, outdoor grown shwag. The "more potent marijuana" that you say the cartels would "develop" already exists and is grown all over the United States in secret grow houses. And do you really think once marijuana is legalized that the cartel's will be able to "develop and sell more potent marijuana" than American businesses and entrepreneurs? I don't think so.
Marijuana Prayer
As we do before meals, let us give thanks to the marijuana plant. Born of this earth; offering its essence and entirety for healing on all levels. Praises to the plant that transforms the energies of pain, fear, and destruction, into healing, strength and creation.
Legalization is not perfect
Of course legalization would not be a 'magic bullet'. How is prohibition working for the country? I have a big problem with the statement that the cartels would simply produce higher quality bud if it were legal. Why aren't they doing it now? The transport would still be illegal across the border and you would take a HUGE cash supply away from cartels. The gangs become less powerful once you stop providing them with easy revenue. College academics would decline? That is debatable because there would be a subsequent influx of talented, convicted, cannabis users within the education system. Not every marijuana user is a stupid, hungry, panicked idiot and not every alcohol user is violent and annoying. The poison is in the dose
Marijuana market regulation works!
The NPR expose was pretty weak analysis of the marijuana issue. First of all, how can you determine marijuana use among kids will increase unless you have a crystal ball and know how marijuana will be regulated. In the Netherlands where the regulation approach is used rather than the criminal justice system, The Netherlands National School Survey shows use among kids has been much less than in the US for the past twenty years, while their cigarette smoking and alcohol use is higher than in the US. In the US, tighter tobacco regulations and taxes have resulted in such a decline that marijuana use among kids in large cities is greater than cig use.