Marijuana Decriminalization & Its Impact on Use

[JBeukema]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"The available evidence suggests that removal of the prohibition against possession itself (decriminalization) does not increase cannabis use. ... This prohibition inflicts harms directly and is costly. Unless it can be shown that the removal of criminal penalties will increase use of other harmful drugs, ... it is difficult to see what society gains."
- Evaluating alternative cannabis regimes. British Journal of Psychiatry. February 2001.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Introduction[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Findings from dozens of government-commissioned and academic studies published over the past 25 years overwhelmingly affirm that liberalizing marijuana penalties does not lead to an increase in marijuana consumption or affect adolescent attitudes toward drug use.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Since 1973, 13 state legislatures -- Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Oregon -- have enacted versions of marijuana decriminalization. In each of these states, marijuana users no longer face jail time (nor in most cases, arrest or criminal records) for the possession or use of small amounts of marijuana. Internationally, many states and nations have enacted similar policies.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The following studies examine these decriminalization policies and their impact on marijuana use. The studies' conclusions are listed chronologically.
[/FONT]

Marijuana Decriminalization & Its Impact on Use - NORML

 

[Bern80]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"The available evidence suggests that removal of the prohibition against possession itself (decriminalization) does not increase cannabis use. ... This prohibition inflicts harms directly and is costly. Unless it can be shown that the removal of criminal penalties will increase use of other harmful drugs, ... it is difficult to see what society gains."
- Evaluating alternative cannabis regimes. British Journal of Psychiatry. February 2001.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Introduction[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Findings from dozens of government-commissioned and academic studies published over the past 25 years overwhelmingly affirm that liberalizing marijuana penalties does not lead to an increase in marijuana consumption or affect adolescent attitudes toward drug use.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Since 1973, 13 state legislatures -- Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Oregon -- have enacted versions of marijuana decriminalization. In each of these states, marijuana users no longer face jail time (nor in most cases, arrest or criminal records) for the possession or use of small amounts of marijuana. Internationally, many states and nations have enacted similar policies.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The following studies examine these decriminalization policies and their impact on marijuana use. The studies' conclusions are listed chronologically.
[/FONT]

Marijuana Decriminalization & Its Impact on Use - NORML

It's just plain hypocritical that toboacco and alcohol are legal but marijuana isn't. If government wants to be consistent in regulating our behavior they either need to legalize it or criminalize the use of tobacco and alcohol.