Support grows for marijuana

By Antonia Novak

Since elementary school, drug awareness week taught young students that marijuana was just as much a dangerous drug as cocaine, heroin and LSD. They were rallied to pin red ribbons onto jackets and taught to "just say no."

But once out of school, popular culture in many ways contradicts these teachings. Celebrities like Allen Ginsberg, Pink Floyd, Cheech and Chong and former president Clinton influenced casual attitudes towards marijuana.

Though it is still illegal, some Santa Clara students accept marijuana usage, advocating its universal legalization in the state of California.

"Older generations are imposing outdated social norms and views about marijuana," said a student who wishes to remain anonymous. "My perception of marijuana is that it can be used both medically and recreationally. Laws and attitudes should be revaluated."

With drug wars, both foreign and domestic, a $24.3 billion state deficit and overcrowded jails, some believe the drug policy is outdated and contributing to these problems.

Although momentum for legalized marijuana has been growing, the state legislature is uncertain. Legislation has been at a standstill for the past two years partly because legalizing marijuana could result in serious repercussions. The debate revolves around whether the state could regulate the pros and cons of legalized marijuana.

There are serious dangers to marijuana use. Classified as a substance 1 drug, marijuana is seen as having a high potential for abuse.

"Marijuana is being used and in some cases abused," said Phil Beltran, assistant director of Campus Safety.

In 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana.

Strictly regulated and controlled, medical marijuana was used primarily by AIDS, cancer or terminally ill patients. Evidence suggests tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, found in marijuana provides relief from nausea, pain and other minor discomforts. Accepted by the medical community, medical marijuana is a roughly $2 billion industry.

Unlike medical marijuana, recreational marijuana would be harder to regulate.

Yet, its acceptance in the medical community paved the way for more initiatives advocating for the universal legalization of marijuana.

In 2008, three separate initiatives had been circulated for signatures that would permit adults to possess marijuana for personal use and allow local governments to tax it.

One such initiative circulated by Tax Cannabis 2010, an organization based in Oakland, explains that by legalizing marijuana local governments would be allowed to tax marijuana and reduce the state deficit. If marijuana were to be legalized, marijuana would become like cigarettes. The FDA would essentially have to create a way to standardize healthy growing and manufacturing regulations for marijuana producers.

Revenue from taxed marijuana would bring in an estimated $1.4 billion a year. Other leading crusaders for legalized marijuana such as California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano vouch for legalized marijuana for this reason.

"Momentum for legalization has built in recent years, especially as the state's finances have remained sour," he said in an interview with the "New York Times."

Besides the state's financial crisis, in the past few years' drug wars have posed a serious threat to national security. The illicit and lucrative marijuana trade has given way to a well-established black market.

This illegal drug trafficking has contributed to violence across the globe. Agencies such as Drug Policy Alliance believe that legalized marijuana would give the state the opportunity to not only regulate marijuana and create revenue, but it would also cut down crime and state spending. It is the cost of high-level incarceration that drives drug policy reform. To the DPA, drug policies have become outdated and cost too much money to enforce.

This is where legislation comes to a standstill. The debate whether marijuana should be legalized has both its pros and cons. Proponents promise enticing results, but marijuana regulation is an ever-posing question.

Contact Antonia Novak at anovak@scu.edu.