As our economy continues to flounder and politicians continue to debate the best way to raise revenue and overcome the national deficit, one viable option has failed to receive the same level of national attention that it deserves: Legalizing marijuana.
The thousands of supporters who gathered on Library
Mall last weekend for the 40th annual Harvest Festival are on
board, but most Americans outside of California haven't given the
issue much thought. As the first state to legalize medical
marijuana in 1996, Californians now have the chance to permit the
possession of small amounts of recreational marijuana for adults 21
and over. Supporters of Proposition 19 are counting on the taxes
attached to marijuana sales to help close the state's monumental
budget deficit. Many economists say it could work on a national
scale, too. So why isn't the rest of the nation
listening?
The debate over legalization has previously centered
mostly on medical usage. Today, 14 states and the District of
Columbia allow possession of medical marijuana, with more sure to
follow suit. In my mind, the numerous studies which have proven it
a safe and effective way to manage chronic symptoms from conditions
such as AIDS, cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, glaucoma and more should
close the debate on this issue. This is a way to bring relief to
thousands of suffering Americans while simultaneously reducing the
use of highly addictive opiates which are commonly prescribed, and
it's high time medical cannabis was legalized
nationally.
Supporters of legalizing recreational marijuana have
more to prove if they ever want to be seen as more than a group of
stoners trying to avoid prosecution. That shouldn't be too hard,
though, seeing as there are many reasons the legal regulation of
cannabis could be the answer the nation's been searching for. Since
there's far too many reasons to account for, I'll focus on only a
few of the most compelling arguments considering our current
economic climate.
One of the key factors in the repeal of Prohibition
was the onset of the Great Depression. President Roosevelt
recognized that alcohol taxes could provide the revenue necessary
for much-needed social programs—and he was right. In today's Great
Recession, legalizing and taxing marijuana could bring in $6.7
billion annually, according to a 2008 study by Harvard economist
Jeffrey Miron, and the savings in law enforcement spending would
total in the billions as well. While Washington searches for ways
to cut spending, the answer could be right under their
nose.
In another analogy to prohibition, legalization
could help break up the violent drug cartels terrorizing not only
parts of our country, but much of Mexico as well. Just as a legal
alcohol industry helped end the era of mafia violence and
bootlegging, the breakdown of the black market today could push
these violent cartels out of business, improving life for Americans
and Mexicans alike.
Legalizing recreational marijuana would also end an
era of hypocrisy in America's drug policy. Several major medical
studies have proven that marijuana is no more dangerous than
alcohol or tobacco, both of which are legally regulated substances.
It's true that driving high is dangerous, and employees probably
shouldn't be toking up on the job, but both of these are true of
drinking as well. For decades we have battled these issues with
education, and the same could be done with marijuana.
Setting a legal age, like either of these
substances, will allow consenting adults to make informed decisions
about what they put into their own bodies.
Our society has changed a lot since the ineffective
and incredibly costly ""War on Drugs"" was first announced four
decades ago. A 2009 Gallup poll showed that 44 percent of Americans
approve of legalizing marijuana—the highest rate ever.
And there's every reason to believe that number will
continue to increase. California could be the first state to update
its laws to coincide with our modern scientific knowledge and
economic reasoning, yet I believe the rest of the nation will
follow suit someday as the taboo on pot smoking evaporates. I just
hope it happens before we add another trillion to our national
deficit.
Lydia Statz is a junior majoring
in journalism and international studies. Please send all feedback
to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
