DOPE OR NOPE?
PERSPECTIVE OF J. CHARLES (CHARLIE) SMITH III
J. Charles (Charlie) Smith III has been a state’s attorney in Frederick County Since 2007. He Previously served as deputy state’s attorney from 1998 to 2006. He is a member of the substance abuse council and chair of the state’s attorneys’ coordination council.
The old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” held true on the legal status of marijuana in Maryland… until decriminalization. This hastily passed legislation failed to account for its effect on schools, law enforcement, and the public. I’m not saying marijuana is at the top of our social evils, but this law was pure politics. The original House Judiciary version of the bill created a Marijuana Task Force to fully vet the effects of such legislation. It was amended to death into decriminalization. We, as state’s attorneys, supported the Task Force version of the bill. The version that passed failed to incorporate numerous critical concerns offered as amendments to the bill, but which failed on the floor of the legislature. In other words, proponents don’t care about such trivial matters as community “drug free zones,” drugged driving, smoking on school property, or smoking in public. Their response? “We will figure that stuff out later.” For Pete’s sake, public use of marijuana is even illegal in Amsterdam and Washington, D.C.!
Additionally, I believe decriminalization was passed on the basis of what I call “marijuana myths.”
First myth: Our jails are full of marijuana smokers! Not true. Almost every state’s attorneys office in Maryland has a diversion program for first time offenders.
Second myth: Their records haunt them forever! They can’t get a job! Well, I find it ironic that with so many supposedly “in favor” of marijuana use, a simple possession conviction somehow results in users never gaining future employment.
Third myth: The war on drugs is failing! We need to free up law enforcement for more important crimes! Police from around the entire state converged by the dozens on Annapolis to oppose this legislation and set the record straight.
Finally, regulate it and tax it! When has the government ever done this successfully? The first month of legalization in Colorado yielded about $2 million in tax revenue (well under estimates.) Yet, it also spent $1 million on an ad campaign to not use it!
Additionally, there are legitimate arguments that black market and illegal distribution will rise. Some analysts believe that a 300 percent increase in marijuana consumption will only benefit the cartels that will continue to operate tax free. After all, do you really think marijuana smokers are going to buy that $400 ounce of weed from Uncle Sam when they can get it from the black market for $200? Especially since it’s not a crime to buy from the black market. Folks, that’s a no-brainer.
Marijuana consumption is a terrible, cancer causing health hazard that directly impacts our youth. Studies show a dramatic increase in psychosis and other mental health concerns among regular users. Medical marijuana aside, should we have decriminalized it? Well, if you mean people shouldn’t go to jail for simple possession—that was, in essence, the state of the law—it wasn’t broken, and politicians didn’t need to fix.
PERSPECTIVE OF JOSHUA LYONS
Joshua Lyons is a recognized leader in the growing liberty movement and co-hosts “The Forgotten Men” radio show on 930 WFMD
Wise readers will understand that advocating the use of mind-altering substances is very different than advocating for the freedom of an individual to make their own decisions (even if we disagree with their choices), as long as they are held accountable if those decisions directly affect another individual negatively.
It’s very telling when the people who scream the loudest to get government out of their lives are the same people who throw up their hands in astonishment when the topic of legalizing marijuana is brought up.
How can a person make the very reasonable argument that we can trust citizens to bear firearms, have access to alcohol, and drive a vehicle, yet somehow that very same person believes we can’t trust our fellow citizens to have access to medicinal or recreational marijuana?
Let’s be honest with ourselves. Most “conservatives” want government to control what we can and can’t do just as much as most “liberals” do. The only difference is that each side just wants a different type of government control, but they’re both addicted to solving problems through the force of government.
When discussing this topic, let’s not forget many of the individuals holding positions of authority within our government system (e.g. prosecutors, police). Many of these individuals will tell you horror stories of crime, death, and destruction related to their experience with the consequences of the drug scene. What they may not share with you is that legalizing marijuana will cause them to lose head count in their offices, have less tools at their disposal, making prosecutions more difficult, and less opportunity to cash in on seizure of “property.” To these individuals, legalization has little to do with unalienable rights and freedom, but more about making their job harder to execute.
As for the common, hyper-emotional arguments thrown around by the anti-freedom crowd (e.g. “Think about the children!”)… This common hysteria also masquerades as “I can’t control what my kids do all the time” or “if they smoke pot it will lead to other drugs” or “there’s already an epidemic, and legalizing pot will just make it worse.” These statements may be true, but they may also be false. Neither side can prove their argument unless the law is changed. But, I can state with absolute certainty that we can discuss the topic of marijuana with our kids the exact same way we have approached them about alcohol.
What is also certain is that anyone (child or adult) can obtain marijuana today, regardless of the fact that doing so is currently illegal. We can also institute limitations on marijuana just as we have with alcohol, such as age requirements, and sales and distribution regulations. With the current anti-pot hysteria, it’s like we can’t even remember that this type of regulation has worked rather well with alcohol, our socially acceptable intoxicant.
It’s high time we stop using the force of an out-of-control government to limit the freedom of our fellow citizens.
Legalizing Marijuana in Maryland (Dope or Nope?)
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