NARCONON EDITORIAL

Marijuana

Lighting up their joints, outside campaign headquarters, was the way some supporters of the failed marijuana ballot initiative in California reportedly eased the sorrow of defeat.   Though Californians said “no” to the legalization of marijuana for recreational use, ardent supporters plan to carry on with their crusade. They argue that marijuana should be treated like tobacco, not hard drugs.  Other arguments are that the related taxes would help the state and give the Mexican cartels less business to fight about. The majority of voters however obviously did not want to initiate a bill that could translate into more marijuana use.  Narconon agrees with this decision.

Other states also said “no” to marijuana. South Dakota voters rejected the authorized use of marijuana for medical purposes and even voters in Oregon, who said “yes” to medical marijuana use, drew the line when it came to state-regulated medical marijuana dispensaries.

Possession of marijuana for personal use (less than a kilogram) is a misdemeanor in most states.  Though possession can carry sentences of fines of to 2000 dollars, a year in jail, probation and mandatory drug testing, first offenders are often given the opportunity for treatment as an alternative sentence. In California, possession of small amounts is considered an infraction, a lower level of offense than misdemeanor.  So while most voters in this country are not ready to say a resounding “yes” to legalization of marijuana, it appears that they really don’t want anyone’s life ruined from a marijuana possession arrest either.  With effective drug treatment programs, such as Narconon available, there is no reason why treatment is not the best solution for most.

Perhaps we are approaching a correct balance. Marijuana is a gateway drug and since more marijuana users will translate into more users of the hard stuff, its use certainly shouldn’t be promoted.    However, backing off from heavy sentencing gives users the opportunity to change their habits before their lives are ruined.

It seems the topic of marijuana use and legalization remains equivocal in the public’s mind, which in the case of this topic, is probably the best positioning it could have.

Though Narconon has no real political view regarding marijuana, there are many lives that have been turned around through the Narconon program, that were otherwise off the rails because of excessive marijuana use.