LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

The world is rife with paradoxes and double standards.

One such incongruity is the disparity in attitudes toward and
treatment of marijuana as opposed to those of alcohol and tobacco.

The manifestation of these attitudes are clear in the "Rights, Rules,
Responsibilities" handbook.

For alcohol, "violations will result in a dean's warning," whereas
even the possession of marijuana or its associated paraphernalia
results in at least probation.

The only rational basis for the harsh treatment of marijuana is if it
causes damage to the mission of the school more significantly than
other substances. If Princeton's administration were to be internally
consistent, they would make marijuana violations low priority offenses
and choose to overlook violators in the same way that they do with
alcohol.

The issue of marijuana's illegality is relevant far beyond the
confines of our Orange Bubble, and is, in fact, discussed on local,
state and federal levels.

There are quite a few significant reasons why marijuana should be
legalized.

Though not the most important, the most quoted incentive to legalize
marijuana, , is that the cost of its illegality is very high. The
United States spends more than $8 billion a year enforcing marijuana
law. The aggregate tax potential on the local, state and national
levels is $6 billion if marijuana is taxed like alcohol or tobacco,
leaving an annual $14 billion incentive to legalize marijuana.

In times of economic hardship it is beneficial to increase sources of
cash flow.

Second, the adverse effects of marijuana smoking are less severe than
those of alcohol and tobacco.

While marijuana is more carcinogenic than tobacco, the cannabinoids
contained within cannabis mitigate the effect of the carcinogens and
actually make smoking marijuana less harmful than tobacco.

Marijuana is also not addictive like alcohol or tobacco, so overdose
and binge-usage are far less likely.

It is nearly impossible to die from marijuana overdose - the same
cannot be said of alcohol.

Perhaps the most important factor is the social injustice that
accompanies the enforcement of marijuana policy.

Consumption of marijuana is fairly evenly distributed across
socioeconomic strata, but those penalized for breaking drug law are
disproportionately minorities. Jail time and criminal records ruin the
lives of those found to be in violation of marijuana law, which limits
work and education opportunities. In marked contrast to this severity,
there have been only marginally observable social effects on the 12
states that have chosen to decriminalize marijuana, making it a minor
violation like a traffic ticket.

The social costs of enforcement heavily outweigh the social costs of
decriminalization.

If the legalization of marijuana were entirely positive, then further
steps would be taken to lift the ban and sellers wouldn't face
expulsion from the University. The most convincing argument for
maintaining marijuana as an illegal substance is that marijuana, like
alcohol and tobacco, is detrimental to human health.

Ideally, then, both alcohol and tobacco would join marijuana as
illegal substances. The only difference is that alcohol and tobacco
are so commonplace and ingrained in society that getting rid of them
is impossible. This phenomenon played out during America's failed
attempt to ban alcohol via the Prohibition. In other words, it is not
that marijuana is any worse than alcohol or tobacco, but it would
nonetheless be bad social policy to introduce a new legitimate vice
into society.

In this sense the stigmatization of marijuana, while a clear double
standard, is a preventative measure that could have easily been in
place for alcohol or tobacco.

While it is the responsibility of a government to do what is in the
best interest of its people, we live in the United States, where we
place a particular emphasis on maintaining and expanding freedoms. The
fact that marijuana is not healthy does not outweigh the fact that
keeping marijuana illegal is curbing freedom.

Neither alcohol nor tobacco is healthy, but it is within the rights of
every American of age to consume them. Marijuana consumption is
another unhealthy yet victimless action that should be accessible to
the American public.

Another vital issue to take into consideration is that legalizing
marijuana would directly and unequivocally reduce its price.

A decrease in product cost could directly correlate to an increase in
consumption. This is not necessarily a bad trend if marijuana
consumption accompanied a decrease in alcohol consumption. It is
feasible, however, that the two substances would be consumed in
concert and the intake of both alcohol and marijuana would increase.
And while increased substance consumption is a fair concern, there are
some mitigating factors to be addressed.

Among these are regulatory oversight ensuring better quality and a
reduction in crime and involvement with the oft-dubious character of
dealers.

I believe the United States should decriminalize marijuana and
recognize that its use is not qualitatively different from the usage
of similar legal substances, such as alcohol and tobacco.

Even if the greater state authority does not take action towards
marijuana policy, Princeton University should treat marijuana as it
does alcohol. The University can treat marijuana similarly and turn
the traditional blind eye to violators, or at least make the
punishments roughly equivalent.