In November 2011 there may be a vote on whether marijuana should be legalized, and sold and taxed like any other commodity. From now until then, there will no doubt be extensive rhetoric on both sides of the issue at every opportunity. Those who see the legalization of marijuana as a “gateway” drug that will lead people, particularly young people, to try harder drugs, will shout “No!” as fiercely as possible. They will find and quote all the statistics possible that show that it will make our lives worse. They will say that just because we have legal alcohol doesn’t mean that we need to add another substance to our problems: look how much trouble the alcohol has caused.
On the other hand, groups such as Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws (NSML) will say that alcohol creates far worse problems for people and for society, and is far more harmful. They will say that it would be better for people to be able to use marijuana judiciously than for them to drink alcohol. It’s the kind of philosophy that says, hey, everyone has stress in their lives for which they need to find release and relief: people are going to take something so why should the government regulate what they take?
Last year’s example of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas basketball player Matt Shaw being suspended for a whole year for using marijuana was one example. If he had gone out and gotten drunk, no one would have said a word as long as he didn’t drive or hit anybody. At the time, NSML campaign manager Dave Schwartz said, “As an adult, he made a rational decision to use a substance less harmful than alcohol. Now, for this simple act, his career with the Runnin’ Rebels is over….It simply makes no sense. And for those who say, ‘He should have just followed the rules,’ we say, ‘Why do we have rules and laws that horribly punish people who choose to use marijuana instead of the more harmful substance, alcohol?’ It is time for a change.”
And now, in April 2011, the Clark County Commission tried to vote to get the question off of the November ballot. Unfortunately for them, proponents were well read in Nevada law and they pointed out that a ballot initiative cannot be just voted down by the Commission unless both sides are presented fairly. Neil Levine and the Committee to Regulate & Control Marijuana is taking the matter to the Attorney General’s office for an appeal. It may yet be that the voters of Nevada will decide this issue this year.
