Report Shows Arrests Don't Deter Marijuana Use

Why does this report only quote a pro-marijuana activist and not someone who doesn't support marijuana legalization? The report doesn't prove arrests don't deter some marijuana users as numerous other factors could account for the amount of use such as that the penalties are mainly a small fine for use, a lot of pro-pot propaganda encourages use, etc. Then, if we stop arrests completely, will marijuana use stay the same or decline? Mirken implies that arrests haven't worked, but he doesn't suggest that something else will work, or even that it is desirable to control use.

Paradise Lost says Marijuana doesn't pose a serious addiction problem, but doesn't have any support for that. 10% of users become addicted and twice as many young users are at risk for addiction which is not a trivial amount, especially when more people seek treatment for addiction for marijuana than anything else except alcohol.

November 6, 2009 at 11:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )