Pubdate: Thu, 02 May 2013 Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN) Copyright: 2013 Chattanooga Publishing Company, Inc. Contact: http://www.timesfreepress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/992 Page: B7 Right Side Round Table SHOULD MARIJUANA BE LEGALIZED? THE HAMILTON COUNTY GRAND JURY THINKS SO In years past, the Hamilton County grand jury's recommendation that the "state legislature should consider legalizing the possession of a small amount of marijuana, which is not packaged for resale" would have set off a firestorm. Now, however, the suggestion has fostered a reasonable discussion. Clearly, the American public is ready to reconsider marijuana laws, as evidenced by a March poll conducted by the Pew Research Center that found a majority of Americans favor legalizing the use of marijuana. Locally, as the grand jury clearly understands, there is a practical rationale for decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana even for those of us who do not use weed: It would save taxpayers lots of money. Local courts in Hamilton County dealt with 1,800 drug-possession charges in 2012, and that number is expected to rise this year. A large portion of those cases are for small-scale marijuana possession. Each one of those cases, and any resulting probation or jail time, is a burden on taxpayers. Since marijuana usage is a victimless crime with few related safety or health concerns, government's ban on marijuana appears unreasonable and arbitrary - more of a witch hunt than rational policymaking. Claims that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol are supported by a number of studies. In fact, some research indicates that caffeine consumption might pose more health threats than marijuana use. The ban is also totally futile, as the abundance of marijuana - and marijuana users - in our area proves. Decriminalizing marijuana would save tax dollars, create new tax revenue streams, reduce overcrowding in jails, return safe, productive citizens to society, and free up police and courts to focus on more pressing needs. Ultimately, however, the Tennessee General Assembly should legalize marijuana because self-ownership is fundamental to a free society. It should not be the role of government to tell responsible adults what they can and cannot put in their own bodies, particularly when that action does not violate the rights of others. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt