JUST LEGALIZE IT

Surely we know by now that the only real difference between taking a sip of
Scotch whisky at the Polo Club and smoking a joint under cover of darkness
is an outdated, hypocritical, embarrassing law that needs to be scrapped.
That probably explains why the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs --
the state's largest police organization -- has decided to endorse a state
ballot initiative that would allow grown-ups to legally possess small
amounts of marijuana.

Yep, you heard right. Just last week the board of the 3,000-member group,
which represents about 65 percent of the state's street-patrol officers,
voted unanimously to support a change in the state constitution that would
decriminalize possession of up to 3 ounces of marijuana. Under the proposal,
marijuana would be sold in state-licensed shops and taxed like cigarettes
and other tobacco products. A distribution system would also be put in place
to provide cheap reefer for medical uses.

Prior to this enlightened attitude adjustment, Nevada had the country's
harshest laws prosecuting marijuana possession.

In order for the proposal to become law, however, Nevada's voters will need
to approve the measure this November, then again in 2004. Unfortunately,
federal law currently bans marijuana possession, and the U.S. Supreme Court
ruled last year that states aren't allowed to make exceptions, not even for
medical use.

But that's just for now. Every movement has to get a bit of a shove before
it can gain any downhill momentum, and this is definitely a movement that
deserves momentum.Legalize it.

Meanwhile, here in Michigan, it seems a similar attempt to embrace reality
could get back on track. Election Tuesday was supposed to have been the day
when Detroit residents were to be given the chance to amend the City Charter
to place possession of marijuana for medical use at the bottom of the
municipal law enforcement priority list. Funding for prosecutions related to
such possession would have been eliminated from the city budget -- and
considering the condition of the city's budget, I'd say we could use the
extra cash elsewhere.

As those of you who bothered to vote may have noticed, there was no such
proposal.

"We did everything we were required by law to do to get this issue on the
ballot, and [the city] basically said, 'Fuck you, we're not putting it on
the ballot,'" says Tim Beck, founder of the Detroit Coalition for
Compassionate Care, the group pushing the medical-marijuana issue.

According to Beck, Detroit City Clerk Jackie Currie notified the group Feb.
26 that the issue would not be placed on the ballot. After a month of trying
to negotiate the matter with the city -- which argued that the charter
doesn't allow budgeting by referendum -- Beck's group got fed up and filed a
lawsuit. Wayne County Circuit Judge Timothy Kenny heard the case, then ruled
against Beck's group May 13. The case is currently under appeal on an
expedited basis.

"We expect oral arguments to begin any day now," says Beck.

So even in a hip, soulful city like Detroit, there are still those out there
who would argue that legalizing even medicinal marijuana is immoral, bad for
kids and a dangerous step down the slippery slope that leads to hell -- or
something ridiculous like that.

"City Council won't touch this issue with a 10-foot pole," says Beck.

Gee. Now there's a shocker.

Yes, there are probably health risks associated with marijuana just as there
are risks with tobacco and booze. So? Listen, I'm one of those who believes
adults ought to be permitted a few pleasurable risks in life so long as
those risks don't bring serious harm to anyone else.

The first time I smoked a joint, nothing happened. I mean not a thing. I was
about 13 years old and walking through the park late at night with a group
of friends. I was the only one in the group who hadn't been stoned before
so, naturally, something had to be done to correct this situation. I was a
little nervous, but my buddy Doug had assured me that getting high was just
like taking a huge drag off a cigarette and then holding it in your lungs as
long as possible while walking briskly down the street. Having already tried
that one for kicks -- with Doug, naturally -- I figured I was ready for the
big deal.

I was so ticked off and embarrassed when nothing happened that, after a
number of determined, useless tokes, I started trying to act like I was
stoned just to make my friends feel better. Didn't want them thinking they'd
wasted good reefer, you know?

Months later I tried again, several hours before I was supposed to sing in
the choir for the school Christmas pageant. Let's just say I made it to
school but not to the pageant. I spent the evening hiding under the vice
principal's desk whacked out of my mind and scared to death that I wouldn't
come down before I had to go home to face the folks. I can still hear Mr.
Riley, the choir director, striding up and down the hall asking loudly, "Has
anyone seen Keith? Has anyone seen Keith?"

Yes, I admit it. I did inhale. Big deal. And I admit I've been high a number
of times since then. The last time I touched the stuff, however, was about
20 years ago. I do realize that a Just-Say-No mentality is prevalent these
days, and that I should tearfully confess that terrible experiences getting
high led me to quit. The truth is that a lot of my times high were great,
and I'm not sure why I decided to quit. Probably because, unlike some of my
friends, I couldn't write and play music when I was high, so it started to
get in the way of my life.

I also couldn't stand to hurt my mother. That's the other truth.

I still take a drink now and then, and I used to smoke nearly a pack a day.
However, I have yet to read anything in any reputable medical journal that
says cigarettes and beer just may help cure glaucoma. The potential
medicinal value of marijuana for such illnesses as glaucoma and other health
matters has been recognized the New England Journal of Medicine and other
respected medical journals.

It has also been recognized by one hell of lot of musicians as a pretty
decent way to unwind.

Legalize it!