record clearly shows that marijuana has been accepted as capable of relieving
the distress of great numbers of very ill people, and doing so with safety under
medical supervision. It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for DEA
to continue to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of
this substance in light of the evidence in this record.”
Israeli scientists had recently found a skeleton of a fourth century woman who
they believed died in childbirth. Scientists found what they believe to be ashes
or the burned remains of a cannabis plant, suggesting that the ancient woman
used marijuana as a method of reducing labor pains.
N.O.R.M.L (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) is a fully
recognized organization that lobbies for the “removal of criminal penalties for
the individual who uses marijuana in private” as it is “consistent with
traditional American values of the right to privacy, personal choice, and
individual freedom.” N.O.R.M.L.’s Board of Directors reads like a “Who’s Who” in
the world of science. Such distinguished members include Dr. Kary Mullis, the
winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize in chemistry; Dr. Lester Grinspoon, Harvard
Medical School Professor; Dr. Louis Lasagna, chairman of the National Academy of
Sciences committee and dean of the Sackler School of Biomedical Sciences at
Tufts University; Ann Druyan, secretary of the Federation of Scientists;
Druyan’s husband, Carl Sagan, co-producer of the PBS series Cosmos; and many
more.
Marijuana, in addition to not being a dangerous drug, has been documented to
have practical medical purposes and environmental purposes. The legalization of
marijuana-a drug that the criminalization of is so impossible to enforce-would
not only not harm society, but could actually benefit it.
The question then becomes, how should legalization be approached? In addition to
decriminalization, the government must understand that education is also of the
utmost importance. Rehabilitation and prevention awareness programs are very
important in preventing widespread drug use. One must understand that the drug
addict is not a criminal but a victim. Incarceration is not the solution. “The
limits of criminal sanctions must be recognized and not applied to private
social conduct that constitutes no direct harm to others.”
Legalizing drugs would allow them to be available to those who would benefit
from their medical use. Research would also be encouraged as scientists could
search for new and practical uses of drugs. There are many wonderful uses of
drugs that have not yet been identified or perfected and with expanded research,
we could discover these new possibilities.
Of course, some restrictions would have to be set. Likely, an age restriction
would have to be adopted. Restricting the use of drugs to adults only, and
educating the youth of the potential dangers should help curb adolescent abuse.
Prohibiting acts such as driving a vehicle under the influence of a mind-
altering substance would likewise be necessary. Another necessity would be the
destruction of all those with prior criminal records due to the arrest or
conviction on drug-related charges. Of course, the right of the non-smoker would
have to be paramount. In a public facility, non-smoking areas would have to be
set up.
A system of drug regulation that would include the above provisions, public
health and agricultural regulations, and a form of taxation would discourage
abuse, protect public health and safety, reduce crime, and raise revenue.
“Regulation is the inevitable replacement of prohibition.”