On The Flip Side

The Issue:

The legalization of medical marijuana in Massachusetts has found recent financial support, the majority of which stems from billionaire Peter Lewis, chairman of the board of the auto insurer Progressive Corp., who has donated over $500,000 to stimulate awareness and support for the drug's legal, medical use. Lewis' monetary contribution of $525,000 accounts for more than 99 percent of the Committee for Compassionate Medicine's funding in 2011. Lewis has also contributed to similar movements in Washington and his home state of Ohio. Advocates for legalization are asking out that Massachusetts citizens be able to receive the same medical treatments provided in 16 other states, while protestors believe the act would promote marijuana use in non-patients. If the Committee is able to generate enough support, the question will appear on ballots in November.

Pain relief for the sick:

The seemingly timeless debate over the legalization of marijuana in the United States continuously produces similar arguments in favor of the drug's use. First, sober advocates and users alike are dumbfounded by the classification of cannabis as a "Schedule I Controlled Substance," grouping it among such dangerous and taboo drugs as heroin, psychedelic mushrooms, and mescaline. An example of a "Schedule II" substance (the so-called less dangerous drugs) would be cocaine.

Over and over again, THC activists swear by the substance's inability to cause an overdose. Moreover, these backers plead that the drug's non-addictive nature renders it safe for consumption. Finally, perhaps the most appealing argument for the legalization of pot is the promise of money. Certain estimations ring in a $1 billion annual cash revenue for the state of California alone. That's a whole lot of green.

However, the ongoing debate about the movement in Massachusetts addresses issues specific to the state's current policies pertaining to marijuana and to the nature of the proposal at hand. Considering these particular issues, by all measures the production, distribution, and usage of medical marijuana should be legalized in the state of Massachusetts.

Currently, marijuana is decriminalized in Massachusetts. This means that if a person was caught in possession of the drug, he would likely face a fine barely exceeding the price of the drug itself.

Clearly, Lewis deliberately had his eyes on Massachusetts, and for good reason. The state is historically liberal. From the days of the Tea Party to the allowance of same-sex marriage, the ruffians of this New England blue state have had a knack for upsetting the status quo. Given this, in addition to the state's current pot policies, it is not unreasonable to believe that policy makers would join forces with the 16 other states that have backed medical marijuana—"medical" being the operative word in this phrase.

Many are quick to jump ship when they hear talk about "Mary Jane," but they are overlooking the former, more important descriptor. This is medicine being discussed: the same stuff provided to ailing youths by their mothers.

Maybe the substance is not so comparably innocent. However, the proposed bill would only allow the drug to be used by the most needy patients, primarily those suffering from "cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis," according to Steve LeBlanc of the Associated Press.

If the ballot is passed in November, patients of serious diseases such as these may finally find some relief. A chemotherapy patient may finally find the appetite he has been seeking. A woman suffering from MS may find some pain relief. The process will be strictly monitored, and we as a nation may be keeping millions of suffering men and women from relief that is easily at hand.

Gravely unstable drug:

Anybody that has ever smoked pot (or knows anybody who has) will be the first to tell you, when they think it through, that legalizing medicinal marijuana is the worst idea since unsliced bread.

First is the issue of control. Just look at California: anyone can get a weed license by simply claiming that he or she has not been eating well. Thus, there is no good way to keep the drug in the hands of those who need it for significant medical reasons. One can make the argument that sale would be restricted to individuals with the proper documentation, but forged marijuana licenses are common fare in the fake ID market. If pot is sold as a competitive good and not, as it is now, a non-renewable resource, it will become cheap and accessible. It's obvious that this ultra-potent grass would find its way into the bongs of the underage.

Additionally, the position that legal sale would boost Massachusetts tax revenue is valid, but, given that the federal government still considers the trafficking of marijuana a criminal offense, state funds would continue to be tied up in prosecution, and the legal system would remain clogged with the distribution of minor drug amounts.

But these are all of the expected cons. It is clear that marijuana would become a prevalent aspect of our society. California, for example, has more pot stores than Starbucks. The real problem, as I mentioned, is most apparent to people who have actually smoked pot. I admit I've been there. Many people leading normal, productive lives have. What everybody needs to understand, however, is that people smoking pot do so with the repose that, "It's okay, I can enjoy this and fool around, because the people around me are still making sure that the world is spinning in the right direction." For all the talk of "It's a peaceful act," and "It's a non-addictive substance," people who smoke know that what they're doing would not be acceptable on a society-wide basis. Marijuana may not be the horrific gateway drug that the DEA campaigns make it out to be—however, it does make you feel all right about the bad things happening in your life, and it's not okay to be content with that! It's great to de-stress, of course, but we have to be able to kick ourselves for the mistakes we make and to assert ourselves for the injustices committed upon us. It's not OK to go through life in a mellow pot-haze, and though motivated individuals (like Boston College students) might be able to control themselves, it is the harsh reality of the human condition that many people would not be able to resist a consistent high. With the proliferation of medicinal pot in our social systems, we would be forced to reevaluate the social dynamics upon which our communities are built.