LETTER OF THE WEEK

REDUCE PENALTIES FOR MARIJUANA

By Jack Ricker

For the Monitor February 25, 2008

I am writing to inform the public about HB 1623, the bill to reduce
penalties for marijuana possession. As a taxpayer, I believe our
limited law enforcement resources should be spent fighting serious crime.

This is not an effort to legalize marijuana, just to reduce penalties
so the punishment comes closer to fitting the offense.

Twelve states have decriminalized marijuana since 1973, so it's not
as if we'd be going first. ( Oregon went first in 1973; Nevada was
most recent in 2001. ) The federal government has not interfered.

Does saddling a young ( or older ) person with a criminal record
serve the interests of society? Will individuals be better off for
having been arrested?

If harsh penalties are really a deterrent, why haven't states like
Maine ( where it's been a violation since 1976) experienced elevated
rates of use? ( They haven't. )

Society can discourage marijuana use without criminalizing
responsible users. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition has a saying
that applies strongly to this bill: "You can get over an addiction,
but you can't get over a conviction."

It serves no benefit to society when individuals are strapped with
criminal records for minor marijuana offenses, especially when
students are denied financial aid for college.

Marijuana should be treated differently than "hard" drugs such as
heroin; failure to do so undermines the credibility of drug education.

We should not make criminals out of people who merely enjoy unpopular
vices in the privacy of their own homes.

Jack Ricker, Concord

Pubdate: Mon, 25 Feb 2008

Source: Concord Monitor (NH)