Pubdate: Thu, 06 Dec 2012
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2012 The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: Carly Weeks

POT IS NOW LEGAL IN WASHINGTON STATE. SHOULD WE DO THE SAME?

Imagine the sight: crowds of people smoking marijuana openly in 
public with no fear of handcuffs being slapped on them.

It may sound strange, but that's exactly what unfolded in Washington 
State early Thursday as throngs celebrated a new law that officially 
makes marijuana legal there.

But don't expect the streets of Seattle to be filled with puffs of 
blue smoke any time soon. As Reuters reports, smoking marijuana in 
public will remain off-limits, just like the public consumption of 
alcohol in that state. However, police officers have been instructed 
to issue warnings to those breaking the rules, not arrest them - at 
least for now.

Under the law, anyone age 21 or older is legally allowed to possess 
28.5 grams (one ounce) of marijuana for personal consumption. 
Individuals are also allowed to possess products infused with 
cannabis, such as brownies, that weigh up to 0.45 kilograms (16 ounces).

Licensed stores will also be able to sell cannabis, but it is still 
illegal to sell, grow or even share one's personal amount of marijuana.

But not everyone agrees that marijuana should be legalized. Many 
outspoken critics argue that legalized marijuana will encourage 
consumption of a harmful, addictive substance and that these 
initiatives will fuel drug-related problems, including violent crime 
and addiction.

Proponents of cannabis legalization like to point out that marijuana 
has no serious adverse effects and can help people diagnosed with 
conditions such as multiple sclerosis, cancer, arthritis and anxiety disorders.

Yet many members of the medical community argue the picture isn't 
entirely rosy. Marijuana use over a long period of time could cause 
problems with memory, concentration and other cognitive functions.

Potential health risks aside, numerous studies, including a report 
presented to Canadian Parliament in 2001, found that legalization of 
marijuana in coffee shops in the Netherlands didn't lead to an 
increased rate of public consumption of the drug. The report also 
found that use of opiates and other hard drugs was lower in the 
Netherlands than in other European countries.

Although Canada has long toyed with decriminalizing marijuana, that 
idea was shelved when Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper took 
office. Earlier this year, the Liberal Party endorsed marijuana 
legalization. A poll conducted earlier this year found that 
two-thirds of Canadians say it should be decriminalized, in sharp 
contrast to the position of the Harper government.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom