This debate is not new. For and against lobbyist have peppered our nation’s capital with their agenda to either criminalize marijuana as it stands or to legalize this drug once and for all. For many citizens, this debate is a matter of expediency and common sense. Let’s examine a few of the major issues.
Driven by the Drug War, the United States prison population is six to ten times that of most other industrialized nations. The United States is second only to Russia in its rate of incarceration per 100,000 people. In 2000, more than 734,000 people were arrested in this country for marijuana-related offenses alone. Thus, one way to aid in the prison crisis in this country is to De-criminalize marijuana and thus alleviate the federal government and state governments from enduring this tremendous expense and drain on the government treasuries.
The overwhelming majority of those charged with marijuana offenses were for simple possession and smoking marijuana. The remaining 12% of marijuana charges were for sale, manufacturing or growing marijuana. Thus, 88% of normally law abiding citizens were incarcerated for simply using this drug. Like most American’s, people who smoke marijuana also pay their taxes, love and support their families, and work hard to better their life for themselves and their children.
Marijuana smokers do not harm other people, they simply are doing something many people feel is unhealthy. Much like smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol, this activity may be self-destructive but it should not be criminal. The facts are listed below as to the annual deaths caused by drugs:
• Tobacco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400,000
• Alcohol .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100,000
• All legal drugs . . . . . . . . . 20,000
• All illegal drugs . . . . . . . . 15,000
• Caffeine . . . . . . . . . … . . . 2,000
• Aspirin . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . 500
• Marijuana . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
These facts speak for themselves. It is time for common sense to prevail and to legalize marijuana.
