Pubdate: Fri, 20 Dec 2013
Source: Staten Island Advance (NY)
Copyright: 2013 Advance Publication Inc.
Contact:  http://www.silive.com/advance/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/646

POT SHOTS? IT'S TIME FOR A SENSIBLE DISCUSSION OF MARIJUANA LAWS

The debate over marijuana looms as a hot topic in New York in 2014.
 From here to Albany, there is controversy over the state laws that
restrict the controlled substance.

It's important to keep in mind the differences between the medical and
recreational use of marijuana.

State Sen. Diane Savino of Staten Island worries that the furor over
potentially legalizing marijuana entirely could eclipse her bill to
expand its use as a medical therapy.

As Ms. Savino points out, "New York is progressive on many things, but
drug policy is not one of them."

An existing state law, passed in 1980, strictly limited research by
the Department of Health into the therapeutic use of controlled
substances. It focused on patients in "life-threatening or
sense-threatening" situations.

Today the wide acceptance of medicinal marijuana treatment is
reflected in the laws of 20 states. Such a measure has been repeatedly
approved by the New York Assembly, but it has faced opposition in the
Senate.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has been an opponent, said he is open to a
discussion on medical marijuana.

We believe that is a sensible position.

But the governor's office has described as a non-starter the effort to
legalize marijuana for private purposes.

"There is much stronger support for medical marijuana," said Ms.
Savino.

North Shore Assemblyman Matthew Titone agrees.

"We should be focusing on medical marijuana first and foremost - then
jump into this debate," he says. " I think it muddies the merits of
medical marijuana."

What many people don't realize is that therapeutic marijuana is not
smoked. It is usually administered in a concentrated derivative form,
such as an oil, that is low in THC (the component that causes
euphoria) but high in cannabidiol (CBD) which provides the medical
benefits. Among other things, it has been used to ease nerve pain,
severe arthritis and the side effects of chemotherapy.

Smoking marijuana ought to be made legal for all adults, according -
for the first time ever - to a clear majority (58 percent) in a recent
Gallup poll.

One-third of Americans admit to having tried it.

In an informal survey by the Advance on SILive.com, 81 percent
responded in favor of recreational marijuana.

Proponents say that decriminalizing personal use would properly lift
the criminal justice burden and could bring in millions of dollars in
tax revenue.

But critics believe regular use of marijuana could lead to
psychological problems and addiction. They warn against permissiveness
that might promote use of illegal drugs.

Luke Nasta, head of Camelot Counseling Services on Staten Island, has
told the Advance he believes that legalizing marijuana would worsen
the city's drug abuse problems.

Despite the legalization of marijuana in the states of Washington and
Colorado, giving New Yorkers such discretion does not seem to be a
likely prospect.

"It's something we shouldn't be talking about lightly," said State
Sen. Andrew Lanza of Staten Island. "Drugs are destroying people's
lives."

Based on the seemingly relentless trend toward more liberal acceptance
of marijuana, there is a need for serious discussion of the issue.

Being casual about the pros and cons of marijuana isn't acceptable.
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