If a group of Canadian lawmakers have their way, our northern neighbor could soon be living the high life - possibly encouraging U.S. lawmakers to rehash issues with marijuana.
Earlier this month, a Canadian Senate panel recommended legalizing marijuana sales and use to anyone older than 16. The law change would legalize growing pot for personal use. Canadian lawmakers plan to decide next year whether to change the nation’s drug policy.
Gregory Schmid said he agrees with the Canadian proposal, adding America’s drug policies are not only outdated, but counterproductive. The Saginaw lawyer and state coordinator of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws’ Michigan chapter said he doesn’t condone the usage of the drug but doesn’t believe the government has the right to deny it to citizens.
“Drug laws provide job security for the drug dealers of the world,” he said. “Changing priorities so we don’t continue making drug dealers rich and jailing people who are otherwise law-abiding citizens is a step in the right direction toward limited government.”
Schmid said the decriminalization of marijuana laws would not encourage people to use the drug - he expects it would have the opposite effect.
Canadian lawmakers also advised that the government should control marijuana sales and production, similar to cigarette and alcohol sales, and that it require licensed distributors and product tax.
Schmid said a major decline would be noticed in the consumption of marijuana if it were controlled and regulated to same extent as alcohol. “Children say it’s easier to get marijuana than beer. That’s because stores won’t risk their license for beer for some bubble-gum-chewing 16-year-old without three dimes in his pocket,” he said.
Michigan officials have addressed the marijuana question by measuring punishments versus rehabilitation methods.
Today, a Michigan House committee is expected to decide whether to approve legislation that would eliminate mandatory minimum sentencing for drug offenders. If the bill passes, judges will have more discretion and will be able to base decisions on circumstances rather than a defined minimum sentence.
American and Canadian cultures are not that different, said state Rep. Paul DeWeese, R-Williamston, a medical doctor. “A lot of people there would be interested in studying the effects of smokers if prison and court time would be saved and if marijuana does lead to the use of harder drugs,” he said.
DeWeese, who is running for a state Senate seat against state Rep. Virg Bernero, D-Lansing, said the alterations in Canadian drug laws could have strong implications on the United States, especially in a border state such as Michigan. More notably, DeWeese said, action by Canadian officials could ultimately affect what road the United States takes on the issue.
Aside from Michigan, various state-legislative bodies are weighing the benefits of legalization.
Nevada legislators announced last week a measure on the state’s Nov. 5 ballot that would make it the first in the nation to allow the possession of marijuana. If voters pass the law, it would allow adults to carry up to 3 ounces of the drug. Two years ago, the state’s voters approved the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
States such as Arizona, California and Ohio are also working toward more lenient marijuana laws.
Asa Hutchinson, director of the Drug Enforcement Administration, said debating the legalization of marijuana sends children the message that drugs are safe.
“I respect the right of the Canadian government to make laws that it feels is in the best interest of its citizens, but I don’t believe legalization is the right direction for America,” Hutchinson said in a statement. “Marijuana is a dangerous and addictive drug.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported an increase in drug usage among adults aged 18-25 in 2000. The department reported 15.9 percent of the population used drugs, now that percentage has risen to 18.8 percent.
And the increase seems to be all around.
In 2001, there were 22 charges of marijuana usage in East Lansing. During the previous year there were only seven. Marijuana possession in East Lansing has risen as well, from 79 charges in 2000 to 100 charges in 2001.
MSU Police Chief Jim Dunlap said he doesn’t picture large amounts of marijuana being smuggled across the Canadian and U.S. border.
“With the canines and the security checks, it’s not the easiest thing to do,” he said.
Dunlap said he doesn’t think legalization in Canada would have any affect on Americans, even in East Lansing, which is only a two-hour drive from Windsor.
“It’s not much different than alcohol laws in Canada, and they don’t have any overall impact on us at the end,” he said.
Jasmine Greenamyer, a health educator for Olin Health Center, said marijuana is something that should be taken seriously, although in her opinion, alcohol remains the most misused drug.
“Marijuana has been linked with a small percentage of car crashes because of the slowed reaction time and has adversely affected people with heart complications,” she said.
A 2002 MSU alumnus and marijuana smoker said he anticipates marijuana being cheaper and more readily available in East Lansing should it be legalized in Canada. But, he doesn’t think it has a chance of ever happening in America. The former student asked to remain anonymous.
“Politicians consider it taboo, they don’t think there could be actual benefits to it,” he said. “It would eliminate all the black-market trading and the violence that goes along with that. The government could tax it and make money off of it.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Megan Frye can be reached at fryemega@msu.edu.
