Marijuana Prohibition: A failed and costly experiment! It’s time to change the policy.
Marijuana (cannabis) prohibition in the U.S., costing over $10 billion annually, has significantly benefited organized crime while branding many otherwise decent people (mostly youth) as criminals for marijuana possession. Illegal marijuana of questionable quality is now more easily available than ever before. Unregulated supplies of adulterated and synthetic marijuana have caused morbidity and mortality, while regulated natural marijuana has been successfully used as medicine for years.
Inset A: Alcohol & Marijuana side-effects
Evidence indicates that marijuana is less addictive, less dangerous to health, and provokes less aggressive behavior than alcohol (Inset A) which is legally commercialized and generates large tax revenues. Illegal marijuana generates huge revenues for criminals and significant costs for tax payers! Recognizing this, several states have legalized marijuana use by adults for medicinal and/or recreational purposes (Inset B). . .
Now is the right time to lift federal marijuana prohibition, accompanied by diligent regulation of quality and strict enforcement of legal limits. Scientific, law enforcement, public health and economic bases justify such policy. This will lower youth incarceration rates, reduce law enforcement costs, decrease healthcare problems, and generate significant tax revenues.
Inset B: Lifting marijuana prohibition- A long way to go!
Media and social advocates support as well as oppose lifting federal marijuana prohibition. NORML, MIG and MPP strongly support; AMA and Project SAM oppose; and LEAP and DPA recommend logical, scientifically sound and fiscally sensible policies to lift marijuana prohibition. If you support lifting marijuana prohibition, write to your congressman, contribute to MPP or NORML, start petitions in your state ….get involved.
Encouraging responsible behavior is always better than punishing illegal behavior!
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