The discussion of the legalization and regulation of marijuana has certainly created quite a stir and created a slew of opinions. It has certainly created divisions among activists and legalists to the point that several movements have been created both for and against legalization of marijuana. If the issue of marijuana legalization is going to be discussed, it is imperative that we also address the issues of regulation, enforcement, taxation, abuse treatment and the effect that marijuana use will have on our society. This is where most discussions fail.
Another point in the discussion that I often find is ignored, are the unintended consequences of marijuana legalization, although the proponents for marijuana would rather not address that issue.
With all the ills and problems our society is dealing with, do we really need to create another problem that will eventually become another burden that taxpayers and non smokers will wind up paying for and subsidizing? What will become of a society that demands acceptance of whatever is popular and a government that bends to whims of demanding citizens?
Aside from addiction and abuse of marijuana as well as the long term affects of marijuana use, will pot smokers also be demanding social services for abuse treatment? Who will pay for all that? We all know cigarette smoking causes several illnesses and ailments such as emphysema and cancer. Tobacco vendors are constantly being sued and accused of killing people for profit for addicting us on their product knowing full well it’s addictive. What’s going to happen when marijuana smokers start wanting to sue someone because they claim they unaware of the effects of THC? Is the government going to be responsible? Or is society in general going to be held holding the financial burden bag?
If marijuana is legalized, who is going to regulate it? The same government who has been fighting it’s import and use for the past 50 years? The same current government that has bungled social security, our taxes, and created the highest national debt in history? If by some ironic coincidence, the government does regulate it, say, maybe the newly formed US Department of Cannabis, what regulations will they put in place? Will the regulations and taxes be more than pot smokers can afford or willing to deal with?
In every pro marijuana article I’ve ever read, I usually see the same claims that crime is reduced or that social woes do not manifest themselves where marijuana is legal. First of all, that is a self fulfilling statement that does not include secondary crimes committed by the addicts. Crimes such as theft, robbery, and other petty crimes for marijuana money. The first part of the statement says that if marijuana is legalized, the pot peddler will no longer be arrested for selling marijuana. True, instead of police reporting 100 pot peddlers being arrested, they’ll report 0. The difference is that the pot peddlers will no longer be charged with possession of marijuana but charged with violation of the standards set by the US Department of Cannabis. That does not mean crime is reduced, it only means that the crime titles changed from possession or intent to distribute, to violations of US Department of Cannabis regulations. How about the marijuana addicts who can’t hold a job because they’re always stoned and commit other crimes to support their habit, just like crack and meth addicts? Those would be reported as robberies and thefts but not classified as drug crimes. So, crime only shifts from the dealer to the user and ultimately onto society. In reality, crime would not be reduced enough to honestly say that pot legalization would reduce crime significantly to support that theory.
Basically, the legalization does not change crime rates, it will only shift the responsibility of the consequences from the dealers and users to the regulatory agency and the related costs onto society.
A fact is that the legalization of marijuana will inevitably create a black market started by the pot peddlers who cannot be registered or licensed for a variety of reasons. These people still have access to suppliers but cannot sell it legally, but they can sell it illegally and cheaper because they won’t be paying taxes or the related expenses required by federal regulation.
The majority of marijuana that comes into the US originates in Mexico and tightly controlled by the cartels that are in the business strictly for the money. They behead people who steal or lose their loads. Do you honestly believe that cartel overlords are going to willingly give up eight to ten percent of their profits so Uncle Sam can get their cut? So what now, grow and sell only American grown pot? Ok, let’s take a look at that scenario. I’m sure there are a lot of people in the US who will want to jump into the pot growing business with both feet. For starters, The US Department of Cannabis is going to set standards for who can grow, how they can grow, and how much they can grow, along with a myriad of standards that will automatically disqualify many wannabe pot growers. Next, come the questions of distribution, quality control, and transportation, all of which will undoubtedly raise the price to almost higher than what you can get on the street from an illegal vendor since the cartels will only undercut the US Department of Cannabis anyway.
Back to the marijuana overlords in Mexico. Cartel leaders who profit from Americans’ addiction to marijuana are a clever bunch. They will not sit idly by and watch the US Government profit from their product(s). They will either raise marijuana prices or find some other way to regain their lost profit margin. Any search into a Mexican newspaper will show that they will NOT give up any profits. People are beheaded and burned alive for losing small quantities of their loads, or profits. That should be proof enough that the cartels will not give in easily to Uncle Sam or anyone else profiting off the Cartels’ marijuana.
The inevitable argument marijuana proponents make at this point is the example of tobacco and alcohol sale and regulation. Yes, both have been legalized and regulated but, look at the problems those two items continue to plague our society. Besides, you can't compare marijuana to tobacco because tobacco is grown and sold by large companies who are under scrutiny from the government. Tobacco is not grown and sold independantly by mom and pop tobacco smokers, marijuana smokers who demand legalization want to be the mom and pop growers and sellers.
As an example, cigarettes have been legal, taxed, and regulated for years. We all know at least one person who has been affected by smoking. Some people have even lost a loved one to emphysema or cancer. We know what suffering has been endured by their families and the expenses involved in caring for a patient suffering from the long term effects of smoking. Each year, the US spends millions of dollars on treatment for people who suffer from the effects of tobacco and yet we still spend even more buying a product we all know can be deadly. I for one, just can’t see any logic in that. Yes, I know that cigarette and pot smokers will stand together and argue in one voice that they have the right to do whatever they want with their money and bodies. But should I or non pot smokers have to pay for your care and treatment because you chose to abuse your body because it’s "your right"?
Smoking is now banned in many places and even some insurance companies are dropping tobacco users, or at least raising premiums. You can expect the same thing for marijuana smokers. Thousands of people have died as a direct result of smoking, causing tobacco related medical treatments costs to skyrocket. Marijuana will be no different in that respect.
As for alcohol, the problem of underage drinking and drunk driving killing drinkers and innocent people on a daily basis in our country is problem that affects way too many people. As it is today, alcoholics and the issues surrounding alcoholism create so many problems and costs taxpayers so much money that it is becoming an epedemic. Does our society really need to add another problem just because some people who feel it's their right to get stoned "demand marijuana's legalization?"
More on the marijuana problem in a later post.
eModicus
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