Harden: Legalizing marijuana would be a recipe for disaster

By Mike Harden

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Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, has introduced legislation and the Marijuana Policy Project has purchased television time advocating the legalization and taxation of marijuana as a way to solve the state's budget problems.

From a law enforcement perspective, I cannot think of a more flawed public policy idea. The benefits of marijuana legalization and taxation would never outweigh the social costs associated with its widespread use and abuse.

In 1996, California voters approved an initiative, Proposition 215, that exempted certain patients and their primary caregivers from state criminal penalties if they possess and cultivate marijuana, as long as it is within a prescribed amount.

In 2003, the Legislature followed up with legislation that provided the seriously ill the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes — as long as the use is deemed appropriate and recommended by a physician.

The use of medical marijuana is a difficult and controversial issue. While I am compassionate about the terminal or seriously ill patient who uses marijuana with a physician's recommendation to improve upon the quality of life, I am opposed to widespread legalization for all, especially if it allows for easy access and potential abuse by youth.

In 1999, the Institute of Medicine completed a study reviewing the alleged medical properties of marijuana and found that marijuana is not medicine and expressed concern about patients smoking it because smoking is a harmful drug-delivery system.

The true benefits of marijuana as a medicine have never been fully researched to the double-blind clinical standard expected of other drug therapies.

With the lack of true science to determine the value of marijuana as a medicine, we must ask why we should allow medicine to be determined by voters.

Even though there might be some benefit to the components of the cannabis plant, it is a far cry from allowing and legalizing smoked marijuana.

After all, willow bark has many of the same properties as aspirin but we don't chew it to reap the benefits. Likewise, we don't inject heroin for pain relief.

We know marijuana use contributes to dependence, lung obstruction, memory loss and motor skill disruption. Why would we want to exacerbate the drug epidemic in our community by legalizing marijuana?

Commercialization of marijuana will glamorize its use and further social acceptance. Addiction and increased social costs would be my predicted outcome.

Some in the legalization movement think the legalization and taxation of marijuana will eliminate the black market. I am highly skeptical.

Kevin Sabet, a former adviser in the Office of National Drug Control Policy, believes marijuana use would rise significantly if it were legal. He estimates that tobacco and alcohol are used regularly by 30 percent and 65 percent of the population, respectively, while all illegal drugs combined are used by 6 percent of Americans. Sabet argues that $8 billion in tax revenue from sales of alcohol does little to offset the nearly $200 billion in social costs attributed to its use.

America has not effectively dealt with alcohol and tobacco abuse, which together kill about 500,000 people each year. Why should we expect a different outcome with legalized marijuana?

Don't be fooled by those who claim legalized marijuana could be used to cure the state's budget woes. It is bad public policy and will send an awful message.

Legalization of marijuana could lead to increased hospitalizations, violence, crime and a drop in work force productivity with increased employee absenteeism and unemployment. It is a recipe for disaster fraught with a level of risk that is irresponsible.

Harden is the interim police chief of Modesto.