LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

Arnold Schwarzenegger has called for a debate on legalizing cannabis
(marijuana). More politicians, high-ranking individuals and
organizations are calling for the same. LEAP (Law Enforcement Against
Prohibition) and former Mexican President Vicente Fox favor legalizing
pot and debating the merits thereof.

I believe the Big Island should initiate the national discussion and
that we should position ourselves strongly for support of
legalization. A public forum here would have a very positive and
beneficial outcome. There are a number of logical reasons for this.

National legalization would save taxpayers billions in law-enforcement
costs, prosecution and imprisonment for the 25 million people in the
country who are subject to arrest for consuming cannabis
responsibly.

Since 85 percent of the pot arrests nationwide are for simple
possession, arresting these folks along with medical patients and
those that use the herb for religious and spiritual purposes is what
ties our police up from fighting violent and serious crimes and
greatly adds to governmental costs. We need to stop this failed policy
and save billions in the process.

A second reason is that the government can realize a tremendous
increase in income revenue from taxing and regulating cannabis for
personal, medical and religious uses. Cannabis would fall into the
same category as alcohol and tobacco sales, which are now taxed and
regulated.

Legalization would be a win-win situation. By stopping the arrests,
money would be saved on law-enforcement costs, and by taxing the sales
the money would be used to ease strained governmental budgets.

Another advantage is that it will stop the criminals from trafficking
in cannabis as their market will vanish when it becomes legal.
Remember what happened during and after alcohol prohibition? In this
more reasoned world there will be a reduction in crime by making fewer
people criminals, and ordinary citizens will be able to either grow
the herb freely or buy from government-regulated stores.

A very big benefit is that our youth will have less access to the drug
as it will be taken out of the hands of street dealers and handed over
to licensed businesses that ID.

It appears that a large majority of Big Island citizens would like to
have a forum, as they voted hugely for Ballot Question 1 calling on
police to make cannabis offenses the lowest law-enforcement priority.

During these difficult times and budget shortfalls it is necessary to
cut the fat off government and be creative about ways of generating
new tax revenue. What better way to accomplish both then by supporting
legalization? And, at the local level, if you want our young people to
stick around, stop arresting them. It is the laws against cannabis
that cause the pain for so many families. It's the punitive laws that
are the problem, not the plant.

Andrea Tischler

Hilo