Ohio recently proposed legalizing recreational marijuana. On Nov. 3, Ohio citizens will vote on the issue, signifying the spread of smoking cannabis.
Marijuana is becoming more integrated into American culture. According to a USA Today poll, the majority of Americans support the legalization of pot, compared to only 12 percent in 1969.
Marijuana’s increased acceptance in other states does not translate to acceptance in our state. Louisiana’s incredibly conservative policies ensure we will be among the last to legalize pot and strict repercussions regarding possession will continue to exist.
Getting caught with less than 14 grams of pot for first time offenders can lead to 15 days imprisonment and a $300 fine. Offenders may be required to attend drug rehab and be put on probation.
Somebody smoking from their pipe may be tried with multiple misdemeanors or even felonies. For example, an offender could be tried for possession of paraphernalia and possession of marijuana. Both have separate penalties, and both mar your criminal record.
Future employers may have access to your criminal records through a background check, so mistakes made now could impact your life decisions many years down the line.
As ludicrous as these laws seem compared to more progressive states, they’re still laws and can seriously impact your future. Laws are laws, and they’re meant to be followed.
A study published by The Lancet Psychiatry journal showed no significant increase in adolescent marijuana usage in 21 states where medicinal marijuana was legalized.
Kids will continue to act on their own accord regardless of whatever pesky rules are put in place.
Marijuana’s increased acceptance in other states promotes the idea pot really isn’t dangerous and teens just need to play the waiting game. After all, why are our country’s laws so hypocritical? When recreational pot use is legal in Washington and Oregon, it undermines Idaho’s prohibition.
Marijuana is illegal for valid reasons, and we can’t disregard this fact because of the hypocrisy of varying state laws.
Contrary to popular belief, cannabis contains an incredible amount of carcinogens. Whether cannabis is more carcinogenic than tobacco is highly disputed, but inhaling smoke of any kind is unhealthy. Both tobacco and cannabis smoke contain sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide.
One argument is tobacco and alcohol are just as detrimental, if not more so, than cannabis. This does not make smoking marijuana any less illegal. We can’t continue to use tobacco and alcohol’s health repercussions as an excuse to legalize pot.
Weed is widely accessible to college students, and people will continue to break the law by smoking marijuana just as easily as they break it with underage drinking. It is a common problem with no real solution.
Cops could crack down on punishments for possession, but this would seem out of place in a time where new states are legalizing recreational usage all the time.
The solution comes down to the individual. Marijuana is a drug for a reason, just like tobacco and alcohol. People should not justify their smoking by inconsistencies with differing state laws. People should smoke only if they are willing to face the legal consequences.
Blazing up puts smokers at risk of legal reprimand just like many other fun college activities. Pot’s increased popularity doesn’t make the legal consequences any less severe, so stay smart when you take part in nefarious activities.
Kain Hingle is a 19-year-old psychology sophomore from Mandeville, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @kain_hingle.