TIME TO REVISE STATE'S MARIJUANA USE LAWS

Former state Attorney General Bill Pryor's Alabama Sentencing Commission
may find reform of marijuana for personal use penalties among its toughest
assignments.

Despite its apparent wide-spread use, marijuana continues to be an
emotional issue with parents and church groups. Marijuana use, many people
believe, leads to hard drugs.

The commission is looking at how other states deal with marijuana use as a
way to decide how to reform Alabama laws. There are at least two good
reasons to consider revision:

. There is no evidence that sending marijuana users to prison rehabilitates
them.

. Sending convicted users to prison is expensive and contributes to
overcrowding. About 1,000 people are convicted for a second offense felony
possession each year and about 400 of them show up in prison.

While many states have less harsh penalties, including mandatory treatment,
most Alabamians don't want marijuana use decriminalized. Still, many people
are changing their opinions on how to deal more effectively with these
offenders.

Marijuana use is only one phase of the commission's work to make sentencing
laws fairer and make sure sentences for similar crimes don't vary greatly
in different parts of the state. Even with the obvious need for revision,
it may the one that is most difficult to gain legislative approval.