marijuana

1. “If it’s legal, more kids will use it.”

2. “If it’s legal, there will be more DUI drivers on the road.”

3. “If it’s legal, there will be more crime.”

No to ALL THREE. In Amsterdam, where marijuana use is tolerated in coffee shops on the street like Starbucks, the number of kids using pot has declined since legalization. In the 13 states where marijuana has been decriminalized, there has not been an increase in use by teens. Marijuana is not a “gateway drug.” Of the 100 million American adults who have ever tried marijuana, only 3 million of them went on to use dangerous drugs like meth, cocaine, heroin or LSD. That’s a lousy gateway if only 3% get through!

DUI is a real problem, but not because of marijuana.  Marijuana alone has not caused a fatal traffic accident in Georgia.  Marijuana in combination with alcohol impairs driving significantly. If marijuana were legal, more people would switch from alcohol to cannabis and there would be fewer DUIs.  Marijuana enhances inhibitions where alcohol removes inhibitions. Cannabis users are very aware that they are high; drunks think they can do anything.

Marijuana is not physically addictive like alcohol, nicotine and crack cocaine.  While a few people enroll in treatment programs for psychological addiction to cannabis, the great majority of persons checking into treatment for marijuana were ordered by a judge to do so.  Since it is not addictive, people do not rob businesses or burglarize houses to get money to feed their marijuana addiction. Cannabis users who run dry patiently make do until they score some more. Once a responsible business community is established distributing marijuana, paying taxes to the state, and following strict regulations against selling to minors, there will be no market for Mexican or South American marijuana and the violent crime associated with black market turf wars will vanish.