TEENS, SOCIETY WILL SUFFER IF R.I. DECRIMINALIZES MARIJUANA

Why decriminalize marijuana when drugs are central to many of the
problems relating to gangs, teenage suicide, teenage violence and low
academic achievement?

Anyone close to the issue -- teachers, police officers, counselors, and
parents -- can speak to this with certainty: Kids have been reaching
out for guidance and direction for decades, and as a nation, we have
not been able to provide an answer to the confused and sometimes
hypocritical and contradictory environment they have grown up in.

Another mixed societal message is not going to help.

As a 28-year veteran of law enforcement and a former criminal
investigator who has effectuated hundreds of narcotics arrests, I
speak from empirical knowledge. I have interviewed hundreds of
juveniles, adolescents and adults who were drug-dependent.

I realize that there may be no scientific data that indicates that
marijuana is a gateway drug, in the sense that once you try it, you
will get addicted, and you will escalate to using prescription drugs,
cocaine or heroin. I understand that there are many people who have
tried marijuana and have never progressed onto other dangerous drugs.
However, in my countless interviews with heroin and cocaine addicts,
there are only a handful who did not start with marijuana. In fact,
many refer to the experience with marijuana, when they started on
drugs, as the minor leagues.

Separate and apart from this are the issues and concerns pertaining to
medical marijuana.

Attempts are being made to continuously improve the already existing
laws governing the dispensary for relief of chronic pain.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) indicates that scientific
research has proven that the active ingredient in marijuana that
causes a "high" is called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This
psychoactive substance affects specific areas of the brain called
cannabinol receptors that lead to a feeling of euphoria. According to
NIDA, marijuana use can cause "distorted perceptions, impaired
coordination, difficulty in thinking and problem solving and problems
with learning and memory." Also according to NIDA, studies have shown
an "association between chronic marijuana use and increased rates of
anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation and schizophrenia." The
evidence is quite clear that the perceived benefits of
decriminalization are heavily outweighed by the health and
public-safety issues that result from these general symptoms of
marijuana use.

My strongest concern about the decriminalization of marijuana is that
it would hurt young people and send a harmful message to them. Some
youth already play down marijuana as a drug and interpret that it is
not illegal. Marijuana's effect can be substantially more detrimental
to teens than to adults.

I am aware that highly regarded retired Lieutenant Jack Cole, of the
esteemed New Jersey State Police, takes the contrary position, but
reasonable minds may differ.

The decriminalization of marijuana certainly would not discourage the
marijuana dealers, criminal organizations or drug trafficking groups
that prey on a supply-and-demand market. Currently there is a
dangerous trend in the market, in that buyers are seeking higher
grades of marijuana with more potent levels of THC. An example of this
is the hydroponic marijuana known as "Hydro," grown through a method
using mineral nutrient solutions. Two forms of Hydro are "Purple
Haze," which costs approximately $500 per ounce, and "Jack Harra,"
about $600 per ounce.

When drug-trafficking groups are selling hundreds of pounds of
marijuana at these prices, they protect their investment with the
threat to carry out violence. While I do not have empirical data that
the decriminalization of marijuana would increase demand and cause
more violent crime, my institutional knowledge and time spent on the
street tell me that it would not decrease the supply and demand, and
violence would most certainly increase.

I am aware of the concern with incarcerating people for simple
possession of marijuana and its related costs, both fiscal and
societal. However, in my career I cannot recall someone who was
incarcerated for the simple possession of the drug, unless it was the
result of a violation of the terms of a previous sentence or coupled
with another charge as a plea negotiation.

In fact, the Rhode Island Department of Corrections data does not
support the assertion that the legislative action of decriminalizing
marijuana would relieve a major financial burden for the taxpayers. An
attempt to extrapolate the savings-per-bed of incarcerated inmates can
be deceiving, because the sentenced offender may be serving a short
prison sentence on a totally separate violation. If the pressing issue
before the legislature is weighing heavily on the taxpayer burden,
then I suggest that we re-visit the current statute and the imposition
of penalties. Perhaps rethinking the statutory penalties without
decriminalization would better serve our mutual needs.

Take the time to stop and ask yourself: At a time when we have been
forced to cut after-school programs, sports and other extra-curricular
activities for our youth, do we really want to send a message that
marijuana is legal?

In closing, I urge our legislators and citizens to consider the
potential public-health issues, the accompanying public-safety
concerns, and most importantly, the mixed message that we would be
sending to the youth of our state if we decriminalized marijuana.