July 20,2018 In the New York Times there was an Op-Ed by David Leondhart encouraging
new studies about the safety of marijuana.
My question is why. Over the last 30 years there have been
literally tens of thousands of studies done by academic institutions, criminal
justice policy organizations, medical research institutes, not for profit groups
and the federal government.
You may pick and choose the results
that fit your agenda. No matter what
your agenda is, you will find a study that supports it. In the meantime, there are over 550,000
arrests per year for marijuana offenses.
Although they are not all charged and prosecuted, this interface with
law enforcement is often the first encounter for young people and severely
compromises their future.
It is estimated that marijuana
prohibition may cost up to $ 42 billion dollars per year to investigate,
arrest, prosecute and incarcerate. That
does not include the cost of the constant studies funded by government to
examine the effects of marijuana use.
What is the purpose of this obsession to study, control and punish those
who use this substance that has been legalized to some degree by over 30
states?
The most unfathomable fact about
marijuana prohibition is that it still remains on the Controlled Substance Act
as a Schedule I drug. This is a classification
that tells us that marijuana is more dangerous than OxyContin, fentanyl and
methamphetamine all of which are Schedule II drugs. All our federal government agencies and
regulatory bodies apparently see no contradiction to this official
designation.
There are nonviolent people serving
sentences of life without parole for marijuana
offences. This is happening at
the same time that hundreds of millions of dollars are being invested in marijuana
business enterprises. Those doing the
investing include past and present elected officials. This is a contradiction
that is not fiscally responsible and does not speak to justice and respect for
the law.
It appears that the constant data
demands never result in action. Administrative agencies and regulatory
bodies have researched, studied, set standards and procedures and recommended
change throughout this time. They have
been focused on gaining control and making recommendations that are minuscule
and have to be studied and amended and approved by other regulators and
agencies till there is no space for actual reform.
In the meantime, the power of the
justice department and law enforcement agencies continues to grow and expand as
does the prison population. This is why
I don't fear major disruption of federal agencies. They have failed in the
most profound way to assure that there is not egregious prosecution, sentencing
and incarceration for marijuana and all other nonviolent drug offenders.
There are many stake holders who
would like to maintain the status quo.
They are public employees, law enforcement and prison private
contractors, pharmaceutical companies, alcohol and spirits enterprises and
surprisingly not for profit and for profit organizations with contracts for
recovery and re-entry.
There may be many reasons to
continue to study the risks of marijuana and do nothing to make the law
compatible with reality, but I maintain the major factor is economic. Marijuana prohibition is a big government
program.
