JIM COHEN
Staff Writer
Pot smokers of Denver lit up joints in celebration on Nov. 2 as the city’s residents voted in favor of a referendum to legalize the possession of marijuana. Winning by a 54 to 46-percent margin, the measure allows adults age 21 years and older to possess up to an ounce of the drug with only a possible fine. Following in line with cities such as Seattle and Oakland, the movement for legalization grows with increased pressure.
Residents of an American city used the power of their election system to voice their opinions and authority well within the laws of the Constitution. The vote proved that although the issue of legalizing marijuana is not on the screens of state and federal legislators, many constituents believe our system needs change.
In reality, the vote for change is not all that it is cracked up to be. While the referendum orders the local authorities to look the other way and distribute fines, state and federal laws play a different tune. The state law of Colorado and federal law deem marijuana to be an illegal substance to possess let alone smoke. With that said, it seems last Wednesday’s vote was one of gesture rather than substance, or maybe not.
During the past year, the Supreme Court has ruled on the issue of marijuana for medicinal purposes. Unfortunately, the Court did not rule on the side of patients suffering from horrible diseases and ailments such as glaucoma, brain cancer and migraines. Cases and decisions reviewed by the Court ruled that suffering patients are not allowed to be prescribed or use the drug to help ease their ongoing pain. Effectively, the Court ruled that doctors are not allowed to use the tools available to them to help their patients through difficult times.
The Denver referendum brings up the issue as to whether marijuana is any different from alcohol. Mason Tvert, the leader of the Denver campaign, said to USA Today on Nov. 3 that marijuana “is a safer alternative, considering the problems that arise from alcohol abuse such as violent crime and health risks.”
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper disagrees with the referendum’s results because he believes the drug can lead to the use of harsher substances and cause more self-destructive and high-risk behaviors.
With that said, I think Mr. Tvert’s suggestion is a valid one. Let’s be honest, smoking pot has little effect on a person other than wanting to eat cookie dough and watch cartoons. While I don’t have personal experience with this venture, all it really does is make someone like Homer Simpson realize that the name, “Otto,” is spelled the same way forwards and back. And I don’t think a marijuana-induced Homer Simpson-type is much of a threat to American society — so long as there are laws to control it within reason.
It also appears our government has its priorities mixed up. Every year, the United States spends ridiculous amounts of money to destroy marijuana fields found across North, Central and South America. Yet, the use of marijuana appears to be just as prevalent today as it was yesterday.
More recently, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a measure to cut up to $8 billion for educational grants, as reported by the Pepperdine University Office of Financial Aid.
While our government spends millions of dollars but fails to curb the influx of marijuana across our borders, thousands of college students have to pay the high price of an education because our officials can’t figure out which issue is more important to focus on. Regardless, this is an issue that will not bake away.
This recent battle raises a clear issue for millions of Americans suffering health problems and marijuana can ease their pain. The green-leaf movement continues down a hazy path as the courts and Congress continue to punish desperate Americans begging for help — and that is the real crime being committed here.
11-10-2005