Spring Break
Marijuana prohibition makes no sense
Ian Bezek
Issue date: 4/21/08 Section: Opinion
We also waste the valuable time of our police force -- more people were arrested for marijuana use than all forms of violent crime last year. Former Denver Police Department Officer Tony Ryan came to speak at CSU last fall and explained why he supports drug legalization. It is unreasonable to force our cops to go track down people getting high on their couches while rapists and arsonists remain at large.
Throwing innocent people in jail also has numerous social ill effects. For one, when parents are thrown in jail, it deprives children of a normal upbringing.
Jailing innocent people also makes them more likely to become genuine criminals in the future. When in jail, it causes a person to lose their current job and create a gap in their work experience that makes finding new prospects hard upon leaving jail. Instead, many prisoners associate with their fellow inmates and end up becoming part of a life of crime.
Just as alcohol prohibition completely and utterly failed in spectacular fashion, marijuana prohibition has been one of the most boneheaded policies of our government. People had already realized this decades ago -- marijuana was legalized in many states in the early 1970's, but Richard Nixon, in his never-failing wisdom, cracked down on pot again.
Since marijuana prohibition makes no logical sense, it is important to look at what entrenched interests benefit from this irrational policy. Politicians get to win religious voters by playing up their fears of drug users, the noxious for-profit prison industry makes a killing, and gangs make ridiculous profits selling a plant at obscene prices.
Marijuana should be legalized immediately; its prohibition only benefits special interests such as gangs and prison companies while harming society at large.
Ian Bezek is a sophomore economics major. His column appears Mondays in the Collegian. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.
Throwing innocent people in jail also has numerous social ill effects. For one, when parents are thrown in jail, it deprives children of a normal upbringing.
Jailing innocent people also makes them more likely to become genuine criminals in the future. When in jail, it causes a person to lose their current job and create a gap in their work experience that makes finding new prospects hard upon leaving jail. Instead, many prisoners associate with their fellow inmates and end up becoming part of a life of crime.
Just as alcohol prohibition completely and utterly failed in spectacular fashion, marijuana prohibition has been one of the most boneheaded policies of our government. People had already realized this decades ago -- marijuana was legalized in many states in the early 1970's, but Richard Nixon, in his never-failing wisdom, cracked down on pot again.
Since marijuana prohibition makes no logical sense, it is important to look at what entrenched interests benefit from this irrational policy. Politicians get to win religious voters by playing up their fears of drug users, the noxious for-profit prison industry makes a killing, and gangs make ridiculous profits selling a plant at obscene prices.
Marijuana should be legalized immediately; its prohibition only benefits special interests such as gangs and prison companies while harming society at large.
Ian Bezek is a sophomore economics major. His column appears Mondays in the Collegian. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Jon Gettel
posted 4/21/08 @ 7:33 PM MST
Ian,
Your article is well written and describes accurate information on marijuana.
I hope many people read the article. 75 years of prohibition and lies told by various anti-drug organizations have sullied marijuana's image. (Continued…)
vincent larocca
posted 4/22/08 @ 7:48 PM MST
WOW..... nice to see an article like this get some international attention. BRAVO !
www.petertrial.com
Bdygard
Craig Hawley
posted 4/22/08 @ 9:24 PM MST
Right on Ian. I am sparking up a bowl of OG Kush right now in your honor.
Great article.
Anyone ever watch the Movie Reefer Madness. That is the BS I grew up with. (Continued…)
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