Decriminalization

There has been a lot of controversy concerning the decriminalization of drugs, including heroin, as a method of controlling the use of addicting drugs. Great Britain has done so, and in a noble experiment, found that addicts usually were not rehabilitated and their habits became worse rather than better. 

Critics tend to argue that decriminalization is just legalization in disguise. Nevertheless, support for legalization—at least for marijuana—appears to he slowly growing. 

The organization NORML (National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws) is founded by Keith Stroup. Its objective is to decriminalize the use of the drug. 

The National Association for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) is one of the major organizations working to decriminalize marijuana. Its web site at http //www.norml.org/ provides news of court cases and other developments, as well as background materials for drug-policy reform advocates. 

Drugs in Schools, Sports, and the Workplace Medical Use of Marijuana Legalization and Decriminalization of Drugs Harm Reduction Strategies... 

Zimmer, Lynn, and John P. Morgan. Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts A Revietv of the Scientific Evidence. New York Lindesmith Center, 1997. Provides a comprehensive overview of what is known about marijuana from the scientific literature and applies it to current policy issues such as medical use and decriminalization. 

This section covers general descriptions of the War on Drugs and mainstream policies. For alternatives, see the sections on Legalization and Decriminalization of Drugs and on Harm Reduction. 

This section covers a major alternative to the drug policy—varying degrees of legalization or decriminalization of drugs. 

NORML is one of the nation s oldest drug policy reform organizations. Its focus is to change public opinion so as to achieve the repeal of laws against marijuana use. It believes that responsible use rather than prohibition is the proper way to deal with the drug. NORML has played an important role in decriminalizing minor marijuana offenses in 11 states and in lowering penalties elsewhere. 

Despite President Nixon s stance, in 1973, Oregon became the first state to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. Ten more states quickly followed, although specific legal definitions and penalties associated with decriminalization varied from state to state. In 1975, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that the possession of marijuana for personal use by adults at home was protected by a constitutional right... 

The decriminalization and legalization of marijuana are intricately woven into the medical marijuana movement. Essentially, it is a debate over the value of marijuana s medicinal properties compared with the risks posed by its use. NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, has been in the forefront of this 30-year controversy since they first petitioned in 1972 to move marijuana to a Schedule II category. NORML and other proponents of medical marijuana maintain that when compared with drugs such as heroin and cocaine, marijuana is not only safe but holds great potential as a prescription drug. 

As part of its support for the legalization of medical marijuana, NORML advocates the complete decriminalization of marijuana, a step that would remove all penalties for the private possession and the responsible use of marijuana by adults. Under this scenario, private marijuana users, including those with serious medical conditions, would not be arrested, but large-scale commercial sellers would still be violating drug laws. NORML also calls for the development of a legally controlled market for marijuana in which adult consumers could buy marijuana for personal use from safe, legal sources. 

Cannabis in its various forms is still the most commonly used illicit drug in most countries. In the US, more than 50% of young adults report the use of this drug on some occasion, but it would appear that its casual use has declined among young people in that country from 37% in 1978 to about 18% 10 years later. Despite statements from the advocates for its decriminalization, there is evidence that the smoke from the dried leaves contains potential carcinogens, together with carbon monoxide, and is therefore liable to affect the respiratory and cardiovascular systems adversely, in a similar manner to tobacco. 

In 1977, President Jimmy Carter recommended federal marijuana decriminalization because of the harm being done to young people arrested for its use. However, even the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), endorses the statement that adolescent marijuana use should be a legitimate concern for all Americans. 25... 

Some states that decriminalized small amounts of the drug for personal use recriminalized it by the 1990s. As a result, the number of people in prison for marijuana possession increased greatly.,—... 

Millions of arrests have been made for marijuana law violations. It has been estimated that if marijuana were decriminalized or legalized, yearly arrests would be reduced by 500,000.,2 For some users and pushers, there is "revolving door" justice in which they are in and out of the criminal justice system quickly. For others, marijuana possession means real time in prison. 

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