ADOPT A RATIONAL POLICY TOWARD MARIJUANA

Canada finally is taking the steps toward a saner marijuana policy.
The Canadian government has introduced legislation that will
decriminalize small amounts of marijuana (15 grams). This is an issue
supported by the Canadian people, Prime Minister Jean Chretien, and,
surprisingly, the American people. A nationwide poll of 1,024 likely
voters, conducted Nov. 27-29, 2001, by Zogby International, concluded
that 61 percent of Americans are opposed to arresting and jailing
marijuana smokers.

Ohio adopted similar legisla tion during the 1970s and has saved the
state millions of dollars by ticketing people instead of ar resting
and dragging them through the legal system, where police, prosecutors
and judges are busy with real criminals who have actual victims.

Since 1976, the government of the Netherlands has officially tolerated
the cultivation, sale and possession of small amounts of marijuana,
and that country has a lower marijuana-usage rate among teens. This is
mostly due to the fact that the "coffee shops" that deal in marijuana
don't serve young teens.

In contrast, marijuana can be purchased in almost any high school
across America. In 1997, a survey of middle school and high school
children, teachers, principals and parents was conducted for the
National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. The study reports
that 76 percent of high school children claim that drugs are kept,
used or sold on school grounds.

So, while the Bush administration makes threats to our neighbor about
tighter border control, the American demand for marijuana will stay
the same, and the supply will most likely continue to meet that demand.

While decriminalization seems to save money, it still doesn't address
the problem of easy access for children. Only a regulated market with
age restrictions will do that. As most Americans have probably
realized, our paranoid, drug-war-crazy leaders are light years away
from a rational drug policy such as that introduced by officials north
of the border.

Joseph Zoretic

Zoretic is director of education for the Ohio Cannabis Society.