However, a consideration of each element of that argument reveals that it is a flawed position.
The most effective way of preventing minors from obtaining marijuana would be for government authorities to regulate and control its lawful distribution. There may be now way to ever guarantee that minors will not obtain marijuana, but that problem would be comparable to the current problem of minors obtaining alcohol and cigarettes. Given the choices, it would be preferable for government authorities to do their best to control unauthorized purchases the way the government regulates alcohol and tobacco instead of allowing illegal drug dealers to determine who purchases their products. The characterization of marijuana as a "gateway" drug is biased because it assumes that neither alcohol nor tobacco is a "drug" (Dershowitz, 2002). In fact, there is no rational basis for excluding alcohol or tobacco in that regard, particularly because, statistically, both are "gateway" substances to the use of marijuana by the same reasoning.
Likewise, the argument that legalizing marijuana will lead to an increase in traffic accidents attributable to its use is equally flawed. Legalization of marijuana would not suspend the same types of considerations currently used to control conduct that is harmful to others in combination with alcohol consumption. Those same...
Even in states where local laws decriminalize simple possession, federal authorities sometimes prosecute behavior that is expressly lawful under
state law (Schmalleger, 2008).
Conclusion
The public demand for marijuana currently supports a lucrative illegal industry that also wastes public funds while depriving the government of
tax revenue. The arguments against legalization cannot be logically reconciled with the legal status of alcohol and tobacco. Instead of criminalizing simple marijuana possession and use, a better
public policy would recognize that marijuana should be controlled and regulated by the government through appropriate laws such as those applicable to the manufacture, sale, and consumption of alcohol and tobacco.
Sources Cited
Dershowitz, Alan, M. Shouting Fire:
Civil Liberties in a Turbulent Age. New York:
Little Brown & Co. 2002.
Schmalleger, Frank. Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the
21st Century.
New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2008.
