MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION DEBATE MAY SPREAD TO MASS., RI

For the time being, folks in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island can
consider last November's defeat of Proposition 19, a California
ballot initiative to legalize and regulate the personal use of
marijuana, as none of their business. But as this debate spreads
outward from California it will, sooner or later, reach
Massachusetts, Rhode Island and the rest of New England.

Having started the war on marijuana, the federal government is the
enforcer of the status quo -- even as opinion polls show the public's
desire for change. So, it is up to the states, one-by-one, to
replace failed drug war policies with something that makes sense. To
see how the future marijuana legalization debate might spread, let's
consider the work of professor Everett M. Rogers.

Based on hundreds of case studies, Rogers says the launch of a new
idea requires an adventuresome idea champion willing to deal with a
lot of uncertainty. A handful of "early adopters" will follow suit.
Then, after waiting and carefully watching what happens, the majority
of the potential "late adopters" are likely to give the new idea a
try. A few "laggards," might never adopt it.

Proposition 19 nearly passed in 2010 with 46 percent of the vote.
Let's assume in 2012 a similar initiative wins 51 percent and
California becomes the first state to legalize marijuana.

Shortly thereafter, if Rogers is right, states already familiar with
marijuana policy issues -- states like Rhode Island and Massachusetts
- -- will take a fresh look at marijuana legalization.

Massachusetts citizens became familiar with marijuana issues during
the debate leading up to the state officially reducing the possession
of a small amount of marijuana for personal use from a criminal act
to a finable civil infraction.

In Rhode Island, citizens became acquainted with marijuana issues
during the debate leading up to approving the use of marijuana for
medical purposes statewide.

Other potential early adopters include Alaska and Nevada, where past
attempts to legalize marijuana failed but medical marijuana laws have
been adopted, and those states that have also approved the use of
marijuana for medical purposes: Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine,
Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont,
Washington State and the District of Columbia. Legislatures in
Connecticut, New Hampshire and Minnesota passed medical marijuana
bills only to have them vetoed by the governors.

Other states that have reduced the possession of a small amount of
marijuana for personal use from a criminal act to a finable civil
infraction are also early adopter candidates. In addition to several
of the above states, these include: Mississippi, Nebraska, New York,
North Carolina and Ohio.

After watching what happens in these early adopter states, according
to Rogers, the remaining "late adopter" states will finally consider
whether or not to legalize and regulate the personal use of small
amounts of marijuana in a manner similar to the way alcohol and
tobacco are now regulated.

The marijuana legalization debate in California is a public education
process in which fear of the unknown is being replaced with
understanding. Ethan Nadelmann, director of the Drug Policy
Alliance, puts it this way, "The greatest challenge is to break the
taboo on vigorous, honest and open debate about all drug policy
options, that's what drug war advocates most fear."

And that is exactly the service Proposition 19 delivered last year in
California. It got people talking about the issue in an open and
honest way. In the weeks leading up to the vote, scores of
newspapers across the state ran hundreds of news and editorial
stories, some in favor and some against legalization. Millions of
voters were called upon to think long and hard about the costs and
benefits of legalization.

The California State Firefighters Association, the Association of
Drug Court Professionals, and the National Black Churches Initiative
opposed the initiative. Supporters included many state and local
elected officials, the American Federation of Teachers and the
National Black Police Association.

As long as no one knows how to curb America's urge to use alcohol,
tobacco -- or marijuana -- legalization and regulation is a common
sense alternative to the current, endless drug war. Wars, both
foreign and domestic, are easy to start and hard to stop.

For this reason, California is doing the entire nation and the people
of Rhode Island and Massachusetts a great service by seeking common
sense drug control policies that will greatly reduce criminal
violence, increase tax revenues and permit sensible regulation of a
substance that is now acquired through illicit, underground channels.