The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling against medical marijuana makes sense, although the logic behind the existing laws do not.
The high court issued the decision Monday, supporting the federal law that classifies marijuana as illegal, leaving no exception for medicinal purposes.
After a unanimous vote, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote “it is clear from the text of the act that Congress has made a determination that marijuana has no medicinal benefits worthy of an exception.”
The Court’s ruling is understandable. The hearing only served to determine the validity of a previously existing federal law. All the Supreme Court did was decide that the law was, in fact, legal.
The decision is a blow to users and supporters of medicinal marijuana, but will not lead to decreased use. Those interested and committed to using the drug, medicinally or not, will continue to indulge as long as it is easily accessible and relatively inexpensive.
This new ruling does not overturn ballot initiatives that have passed in several states allowing medicinal marijuana, but if those laws are contested in their respective states, it is highly likely they will be overturned.
The government’s war on drugs, marijuana in particular, is failing miserably. It is a waste of taxpayer’s money and government effort. The role of the government is not to interfere with people’s personal decisions.
The use of marijuana is a victimless crime. If terminally ill patients wish to use marijuana, their personal decision won’t bother anybody.
Marijuana does have negative side effects, but in the case of the terminally ill, problems like disrupted ovulation are hardly worth worrying about.
Even for popular use, the drug’s side effects should be taken into consideration by the individuals who choose whether to use them, not the government. American citizens should expect the right to do as they wish and be prepared to handle the consequences of their own actions.
Despite research suggesting prescription drugs are just as effective for medicinal marijuana users, the plant is still a popular choice. Prescription drugs are expensive, forcing many low-income patients without health insurance to go without much needed medication.
When time is limited, it is inappropriate for the government to stop them from making decisions concerning their own health.
Some critics claim legalization of marijuana, even for medicinal purposes, would lead to a push for the legalization of other illegal drugs. This is highly unlikely.
But if marijuana was legalized, money currently used to fight it could be used to spread awareness. Like alcohol, it would be a drug controlled by the Food and Drug Administration.
There is also no proof legalized marijuana would lead to increased use. “Overall, most students report never having used it or only using it once or twice,” Robert Eubanks, a senior staff counselor and substance abuse specialist with the MSU Counseling Center, told The State News in December. “And of those, most report never planning to use again.”
