Decriminalize Marijuana in Massachusetts: Vote Yes on Question 2
On November 4th 2008, Massachusetts residents will be able to decide whether they should decriminalize marijuana. If passed, possession of marijuana would become a civil offense punishable by a $100 fine. If the offense involves a minor, they will face a fine, parental notification, 10 hours of community service, and a drug awareness course. If they don't follow through, they will face a $1000 fine. It seems like a very reasonable proposal that should be passed.
I know how marijuana is demonized, but it really is crazy when you think about it. Look at all the deaths and illnesses caused by smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. If you were to propose making all potentially dangerous substances illegal, where would you stop? Alcohol and cigarettes can be dangerous. What about fattening foods? They can cause heart disease. There are also the problems associated with many over the counter medications. Maybe we should ban those, since some contain pseudoephedrine or other substances that can be misused. Does this sound foolish? I hope it does. There are lots of things that can be misused, and we should not criminalize them and impose penalties just because of their potential misuse.
Opponents of decriminalization argue that it would send the wrong message to teens and encourage marijuana use. I have a question for these people: Do you use marijuana? If not, will you start if it is decriminalized? My guess is no. Those under 21 years of age are not supposed to drink alcohol or smoke. How many individuals respect this law? Does having a beer or a cigarette doom their future? Of course not.
Some of you may be appalled by the idea of decriminalization, or better yet, legalization of marijuana, but you shouldn't be. Laws prohibiting marijuana use haven't prevented citizens from using it. Instead, it has taken otherwise productive citizens, threaten them with jail, dragged them through the legal system, and labeled them criminals. Good luck getting a job or an apartment once that's happened. Decriminilization will be one more way for citizens to gain personal freedom and stop the government from intruding into the personal lives of its citizens.
http://stash.norml.org/2008/09/25/massachusetts-question-2-induces-reefer-madness-hysteria/
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Massachusetts_Sensible_Marijuana_Policy_(2008)
I know how marijuana is demonized, but it really is crazy when you think about it. Look at all the deaths and illnesses caused by smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. If you were to propose making all potentially dangerous substances illegal, where would you stop? Alcohol and cigarettes can be dangerous. What about fattening foods? They can cause heart disease. There are also the problems associated with many over the counter medications. Maybe we should ban those, since some contain pseudoephedrine or other substances that can be misused. Does this sound foolish? I hope it does. There are lots of things that can be misused, and we should not criminalize them and impose penalties just because of their potential misuse.
Opponents of decriminalization argue that it would send the wrong message to teens and encourage marijuana use. I have a question for these people: Do you use marijuana? If not, will you start if it is decriminalized? My guess is no. Those under 21 years of age are not supposed to drink alcohol or smoke. How many individuals respect this law? Does having a beer or a cigarette doom their future? Of course not.
Some of you may be appalled by the idea of decriminalization, or better yet, legalization of marijuana, but you shouldn't be. Laws prohibiting marijuana use haven't prevented citizens from using it. Instead, it has taken otherwise productive citizens, threaten them with jail, dragged them through the legal system, and labeled them criminals. Good luck getting a job or an apartment once that's happened. Decriminilization will be one more way for citizens to gain personal freedom and stop the government from intruding into the personal lives of its citizens.
http://stash.norml.org/2008/09/25/massachusetts-question-2-induces-reefer-madness-hysteria/
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Massachusetts_Sensible_Marijuana_Policy_(2008)
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