Marijuana Use: Medical and Recreational It's All Good.
It is time to put to rest the myth that smoking marijuana is a deviant activity only practiced by those who are considered to be the dregs of society. In reality, it is extremely common and is the recreational drug of choice for millions of mainstream Americans. In fact, it is the third most popular drug in America, exceeded only by alcohol and tobacco. A survey conducted by the ACLU found that 32 percent of the voting adults in this country acknowledged having smoked marijuana at some point in their lives. Also, many successful business and professional leaders, including state and federal elected officials, admit they have used marijuana. So, it is obvious that the vast majority of marijuana smokers are otherwise law-abiding citizens who work hard, raise families, and contribute to their communities. They are simply average Americans who should not be punished for this virtually harmless activity. That is why we should stop wasting limited law enforcement resources a!.
rresting them and start legalizing the use of marijuana for both medical and recreational purposes.
Did you know that one American is arrested on marijuana charges every 45 seconds? Approximately 44 percent of all drug arrests in this country are marijuana arrests. Unfortunately, this focus on marijuana has caused a shift away from enforcement against more dangerous drugs such as cocaine and heroin. It might surprise you to learn that marijuana arrests have more than doubled since 1990 while arrests for the sale of cocaine and heroin have fallen more than 50 percent. On top of that, the penalties for the possession, cultivation, and sale of marijuana are entirely too severe. In 42 states, possession of any amount is punishable by incarceration. Penalties for sale or cultivation vary from state to state. Ten states have maximum sentences of five tears or less and eleven states have maximum sentences of 30 years or more.
