Issue date: 4/16/09 Section: Editorial/Opinion

I have heard many people, including some who are close to me personally, argue for the legalization of marijuana.

Many supporters of this idea say that it is beneficial for medicinal purposes, and they may be right, but would the overall decriminalization of marijuana really assist with those purposes?

I do not necessarily disregard the use of marijuana as a whole. If drug companies could extract the THC and put it in the form of a pill, for people with legitimate use, I would not see a huge problem. That being said, the overwhelming majority of marijuana users - such as the college age people who I often discuss this issue with - are not using it for any other purpose than to get high.

When discussing this with others, I often hear the comparison between alcohol and marijuana, so I will make an effort to compare the two.

Can they both be harmful? Yes. Can they both lead to bigger problems? Yes. Are they virtually the same thing? No.

Alcohol may cause more fatal traffic accidents than marijuana, but we cannot assume this is because marijuana is not harmful.

Another difference between these two substances, besides legal status, is that alcohol, if used responsibly, is generally not harmful.

The only time alcohol really becomes a problem is when people abuse it. If someone were to come home from work and have a beer or two, they would still be able to fulfill their functions. This is not the same with marijuana.

Imagine coming home from work and having a joint. Would you still be able to, or be motivated to, help your family with daily routines? Besides basic tasks, what if there was an emergency? Having one or two beers most likely would not affect this, smoking marijuana would.

The main difference, in relation to my previous point, is that smoking marijuana will always result in getting high - unless you do not inhale it. Even if it does not result in this effect, it is still the intent of most users.

Alcohol users, on the other hand do not all drink to get drunk. Yes, many do, but that is considered abuse and it is frowned upon by society.

Many people say that legalization of this substance would result in less crime, and would boost our economy. Here is why it would not.

First, in terms of money, the government would have to spend a very large sum of money to regulate it, much like it does with alcohol and tobacco.

Second, unless the marijuana was being sold directly from the government to the people instead of private companies, it would not make money on it.

Third, because marijuana has become such a large illegal commodity, it would likely be impossible for the government to simply legalize and control it. Furthermore, crime surrounding marijuana and other drugs is not necessarily because of the drug itself, but the culture and social characteristics that accompany it.

People steal for drug money, people get hooked and want a greater high, and people fight with other people for turf control so that they can deal their own product and make more money.

There will always be private marijuana distributers out there who will make a more potent product and can make more money by doing it illegally - even if it was legal, they would likely be in violation of regulations that would surround it.

There would still be a huge market for illegal distribution of marijuana because if the government legalized and regulated it, the taxes imposed on it would be enormous.

The other option of just decriminalizing it but not regulating it would eliminate that part of my argument, but since it would also have no positive effect on society or bring in any tax dollars, it would also take away from the argument of proposed benefits legalization would create.

Besides the physical health effects, which I will not get into here, marijuana has a negative effect on society. It affects your learning capacity, motivation and is a danger if one decides to operate any type of motor vehicle. Slow reaction time is a signature effect of both alcohol and marijuana, which is a prime example of how it would affect one's ability to drive.

The motivation and need to get high and alter one's state of mind is immature and sad.

I would agree that it is just as sad to have a high degree of motivation and need to get wasted every weekend, but that usually ends up coming and going with the college phase of life for most responsible people.

The negative effects of marijuana use will have longer term effects in a variety of areas and will be far more likely to lead to addiction.

All of this aside, the fight to legalize marijuana should not be anyone's priority, considering what else we all could and should be thinking about; there are many issues that are far more important to pay attention to throughout our lives.

Eaton is a junior criminal justice major and guest columnist for The Spectator.

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