_Corey Davidson is a junior journalism major at MU. He is an opinion columnist who writes about student life and politics for The Maneater._
In the recent midterms, there were three ballot measures related to medical marijuana: Amendment 2, Amendment 3 and Proposition C. While they were different in how much they tax and how those taxes will be used, the passage of Amendment 2 set a big precedent for Missouri and the legalization movement as a whole. Now that Missouri, one of the most handily red states in the union, will soon allow medical marijuana, there’s a realistic chance that recreational use and maybe even other drugs will come up to debate.
As it stands, Missouri allows usage of CBD oil for certain medical treatments like easing epileptic seizures. Also, first-time offenders who posses 10 grams or less will be spared from jail time. Instead, they will pay up to a $500 fine for a Class D misdemeanor.
This is all well and good, but I see no reason to stop there. I think there are many reasons that legalizing the sale, use and study of more drugs would be beneficial.
It should also be noted that I am not actively condoning the usage of any illegal drugs, but I’m saying their legalization would be a net positive.
First of all, the government shouldn’t be the ones making this choice. Not only should the government not be controlling what someone does with their body, they also don’t have the best track record in knowing what they’re talking about with drugs.
For example, in a 1980 speech, presidential candidate Ronald Reagan claimed that marijuana was “probably the most dangerous drug in the United States today.” This and other rhetoric popular at the time indicates that the government is either uneducated on drugs or their war against drugs is motivated for reasons other than stopping people from using them.
It just does not seem fair that somebody experimenting with LSD in their home is branded as a criminal when far more dangerous drugs, such as opiates, are legal and overprescribed. While LSD has a few risks from heavy usage, opiates are far more addictive and damaging.
This is where the drug education should come in. If legalization of all or most drugs should occur, programs similar to D.A.R.E would have a greater responsibility. D.A.R.E does get it wrong a lot of the time, like in assuming that a reasonable drug dealer would give free stuff to groups of kids. In fact, some studies point to D.A.R.E not changing one’s likelihood in using drugs and may even increase it.
Despite this, educating people about drugs when they would be legal and accessible is far more useful than education on something illegal and unobtainable. Perhaps D.A.R.E can be reformed or thrown out all together, but educating people about drugs would be necessary.
Legalizing more than just marijuana would also knock down many barriers in drug research.
As it stands, lack of government funding or lack of perceived need prevent research. It wasn’t until the 1960s and ’70s that the National Institute on Drug Abuse and other organizations began largely issuing a variety research grants. This means that research on many illegal drugs has likely only been around for a few decades.
In 2001, Portugal decriminalized all drugs. Instead of treating it like a criminal act, drug abuse was regarded as a mental health issue.
While the U.S would likely throw someone in jail for possessing a 10-day supply of drugs, the Portuguese government would set them up with the Commission for the Dissuasion of Drug Addiction.
When it comes to drug abuse, we should look for rehabilitation instead of a punishment.
As data from Portugal suggests, the decriminalization of all drugs doesn’t seem to cause usage to raise all that dramatically. Citizens and governments alike probably overstate the effects of legalization or decriminalization.
While it’s easy to imagine hordes of high Missourians flooding the streets and creating anarchy, it’s more likely that people will go about their lives and maybe try a drug when they otherwise wouldn’t have.
Dec. 6 will technically be when the Amendment takes effect, though license applications will not be available until June 6, 2019. I predict this will be much like a normal day and I don’t think society will change for the worse. In fact, it may even help in combating the opioid epidemic. Medical marijuana will simply become an alternative to existing treatments.
However simple an alternative, this Amendment represents an important step in the pursuit of liberty. It’s a small step for now, and one that faced some pushback. But, it’s as the old idiom goes: “the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
