The big debate on marijuana, for both medical and non-medical use, is heating up all around the nation – perhaps nowhere more so than here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I know how I feel, but I am interested to see how others from all corners of the nation – or world – feel about this pressing issue.

What is the big deal about marijuana? Have any of the people opposing its legalization actually taken the “drug”? In what way could it possibly have any negative effect upon the community? The only thing bad it could do is if the underage kids got a hold of it and started smoking it all the time – they would become lazy and make bad use of their time. If you’re worried about the kids, consider the fact that kids already have no trouble seeking out and successfully finding and smoking it, just as they do with alcohol.

Making it legal for adults wouldn’t make it any easier for them to get their hands on it. Tobacco and alcohol are both legal for adults to consume. Tobacco is more harmful for one’s health than marijuana ( due in part to the fact that its doused in chemicals? ). Alcohol has a far more powerful psychological effect than marijuana. Thousands of Americans die every year from alcohol-related deaths. This includes drunk driving accidents, over-consumption leading to alcohol poisoning, etc.

On the other hand, how many ever die from marijuana-related incidents? I’d feel far safer sharing the road exclusively with pot heads than I would with a few people that have a liquor buzz going.

As far as over-consumption, you couldn’t possibly smoke too much pot to do any major damage to your vital organs. You might feel woozy or nauseous, but the worst you could ever do is smoke so much you soon fall asleep.

As far as the effect on society, the only thing negative about marijuana is that it is technically illegal. Sure, drug dealers do terrible things like kill each other and even kill innocent people. The illegal drug trade is ruthless, no doubt. So why not take marijuana out of the illegal drug trade and sell it at 7-Eleven? Business would profit more – the sale of marijuana would surely be taxed, just as alcohol and tobacco are. Our police departments would not only be less distracted, taking one more issue off of their busy hands would allow them focus on more important issues. And they would also gain significantly more funding to do so.

People aren’t getting high off marijuana and going to rob old ladies or go murder people or whatever the fear of it is. If people are going to do that kind of stuff they’re going to do it regardless. People get high on PCP – not marijuana – and go act like a crazy maniac. I say this to address possible fears people may have about marijuana.

As for medical marijuana, what possible reason can you give to deny a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy, or someone who suffers glaucoma, or other ailments the medical marijuana patients suffer, from using it? Does it really physically help their body heal? I don’t know. But if they are suffering, and taking marijuana makes them feel better, then why do they not have the right to ease their pain?

Billions of dollars are spent annually on the war on drugs. They should be focused on the drugs that plague our society like methamphetamine and crack cocaine. The ones that make people go out and stab people for the hard-earned money in their wallet.

Marijuana can make you lazy and unproductive, and it smells kind of funny. Other than that, I simply fail to see the harm in it. Sure, it’s not the best thing – the most productive, or the most healthy – one can do for themselves, but why does it have to be illegal?

Jarred Cartwright

American Canyon

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