DRUG WAR ISN'T FOR CHILDREN

Recently, our student organization, NORML@FSU, campaigned
successfully to pass a campus initiative to "equalize" the penalties
for marijuana and alcohol. Along the course of our campaign, I had
many discussions about drug-war politics and legalization. One
common argument I heard was: "What kind of message would we send to
children if we decriminalized or legalized marijuana?"

That's missing the big picture. Since when do we base the rights of
adults off of the message it sends to children? Yes, there are laws
to protect our children, but there are also many activities adults
enjoy that children are restricted from. R-rated movies, alcohol,
skydiving, driving a car, all of these things are privileges you
earn over time.

We should not be continuing a wasteful war on marijuana, even when
we know it does nothing to reduce the usage, simply because changing
policies may send the wrong message to children. If we are truly
concerned about the message we are sending to children, we would not
have every sporting event sponsored by alcohol companies and we
wouldn't have violence celebrated on television. If we are truly
concerned, we would send the message that, in America, we use
scientific data, logic and debate to decide our laws, not politics
and scare tactics. If we are truly concerned, we would focus our
efforts on education about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, not the
enforcement of unjust laws.

Now for the concerned parents reading this, our organization does
not condone or condemn the use of marijuana. We are simply stating
that the laws against marijuana have created more harm for both the
individual and society than marijuana itself.

I ask that you have a rational conversation with your children about
the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Too often we expect government to
teach us ideals and decide what is right and wrong. I learned my
morals from my parents, and it is the job of parents to make sure
their children have the skills to deal with life. So when we think
of the children, think not only of the message we send them, but
also the thousands of children who are missing an otherwise
law-abiding parent, jailed for a marijuana conviction.