With approximately half of the states in the union already affording citizens with medical needs the liberty to seek relief in the form of marijuana, while the federal government's ostensible ban on the substance remains in effect, the stage has been set for a national debate over the merits of legalizing marijuana for medicinal use. A series of studies conducted recently by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) confirmed the theory that marijuana has quickly become the national drug of choice, with at least "17.4 million Americans -- or 6.9% of the population -- saying they used marijuana in 2010, up from 14.4 million or 5.8% of the population in 2007."
With the previously mentioned information regarding marijuana use in mind, it occurs to me that holding this applicant's previous brush with the law against him would be divergent from our position...
If the "crime" committed by this applicant is so close to being legal and acceptable that more than half the nation's state legislatures have legalized -- or are evaluating legalization measures -- it stands to reason that discretion should be exercised by the civilian review board. The applicant should be subjected to a rigorous review process like all other prospective police officers, and if his physical attributes,
intelligence,
personality and other attributes align with the department's hiring guidelines, he should be given an opportunity to contribute. Second chances are a fundamental aspect of
modern society, because every one of us -- even police officers -- have transgressed at one point or another, and barring the commission of a
violent crime or felonious action, people should be given the benefit of the
doubt.
References
Frank, Jackie. "Marijuana use rising in U.S., national survey shows." Reuters, September 08,
2011, U.S. section, http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/08/usa-drugs-
idUSN1E7870N520110908 (accessed March 4, 2014).
