Get Active Subscribe Support Us

MEDICAL, ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO DECRIMINALIZING MARIJUANA

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., has introduced legislation that would decriminalize the use of up to 100 grams of cannabis ( marijuana ) on the federal level. 

The late Milton Friedman, an alumnus of Rutgers University, and other noted economists signed a petition claiming the legalization, regulation and taxation of marijuana would make us $10 billion per year.  Considering the relative safety of cannabis, this option should certainly be considered. 

In the New Jersey Legislature, there are two pending medical cannabis bills -- A-804 and its companion S-119.  In 2006, the Senate Health Committee heard live testimony from Montel Williams and the late Dr.  John P.  Morgan, a drug policy reform leader, but Senate Health Committee Chairman Joseph Vitale refused to post the bill for a vote because "it's too controversial," even though he had previously sponsored a Senate Health Committee bill that would give clean needles to drug addicts. 

Let's start reforming the marijuana laws by recognizing a medical necessity defense. 

It is time we stop wasting precious tax money punishing people for the use, possession and sale of this wonderful herb.  Keep in mind that we now know that our bodies make "endogenous cannabinoids," and scientists believe that children cannot develop normally without endogenous cannabinoids. 

RICHARD PAUL ZUCKERMAN

New Brunswick