SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
March 21, 2015
Sullivan’s
Salvos 3/24/15
In this edition:
*RIP Terry Cunningham
*Time To Legalize Marijuana!
*Did You Know?
*RIP Terry Cunningham
I
was saddened to learn of the passing of Terry Cunningham. Terry was a longtime
disability rights advocate, and chaired the Johnson County MH/DS Planning
Council.
While
I respected Terry’s work on those important issues, my fondest memories will
not be work related. Terry and I discovered we had similar tastes in music,
food, drink, and politics… I’m saddened to know we will not be exploring that
further.
RIP,
Terry.
*Time To Legalize Marijuana!
This
originally appeared in Salvos about one year ago, on 3-18-14. I have had a few
requests to reprint it, so it appears below in its’ entirety.
It is time to legalize marijuana. This topic has gained traction
over the past year, as Colorado and Washington legalized recreational use. We
have even been talking about it here in Johnson County, which is quite a
change!
First,
a disclaimer: I have never smoked pot. That may come as a surprise to folks who
have known me a long time, as in my younger days I never shied away from a
party. But the fact is, I have never used marijuana. I’ve been around it
plenty; I just never indulged. So I speak as a person who has seen the effects
of pot from up close, but never actually used the stuff personally.
I also do not advocate anybody using mind-altering substances. If you choose not to use them, you are undoubtedly better off. More power to you. At the same time, I do not condemn folks who use responsibly. I feel that should be a choice individuals have.
I also do not advocate anybody using mind-altering substances. If you choose not to use them, you are undoubtedly better off. More power to you. At the same time, I do not condemn folks who use responsibly. I feel that should be a choice individuals have.
Even
my disclaimer demonstrates the change in societal attitudes. In 1992, Bill
Clinton felt the need to claim he “had never inhaled.” Since that time, people
in public life have felt more comfortable admitting to marijuana use. This
makes sense; studies show that between 35-45% of American adults have tried
marijuana.
I
should also be clear as to what I am discussing. I am fine with the
legalization of marijuana for medical use; I simply feel that is setting the
bar too low. Same goes for “decriminalization”; I see that as a good step, but
it does not go far enough. I believe strongly that hemp should be legalized, as
it has huge industrial, economic and environmental benefits. But what I am
really discussing here is making pot legal – period.
Yes,
there would be some restrictions. Children with developing brains don’t need
the stuff. You should not be able to drive if you are so high as to be
impaired. Current rules regarding smoking in public places should apply to
marijuana just as they do to tobacco. Producers, retailers, and products should
be regulated, licensed, inspected and taxed. So we are talking about a system
akin to the existing laws governing the production, sale, and use of alcohol.
People
in the world of business are supposed to run ideas through a cost/benefit
analysis. Many governments (including Johnson County) attempt to do the same.
The legalization of marijuana comes out very favorably when viewed in terms of
cost/benefit ratio.
It
can be argued that marijuana use negatively impacts many lives. There are
undoubtedly people who have underachieved because of an overuse of marijuana.
Is this a problem? Certainly.
But
weigh that versus the negative impacts on the lives of those who have been
busted. Whereas simply using the stuff might make you a bit less productive,
being caught tends to RUIN a person’s life!
Getting
busted can cost a person thousands of dollars upfront. But the REAL costs are
over the long haul. Having a criminal record dramatically impacts one’s ability
to find a good job and/or to get into a program of higher education. It breaks
families apart. It stays with them forever. Why? Why do we choose to be so
punitive in this case? Why do we choose to cost these people tens (or hundreds)
of thousands of dollars over the course of their lives?
In
addition, these laws unfairly target the poor, the young, and people of color.
There are many studies out there that show the percentage of teens and adults
who use marijuana is virtually identical regardless of race. Yet people of
color get busted at a rate EIGHT TIMES that of whites. Marijuana prohibition
has done a lot to destroy black families. These draconian laws have set African
Americans back generations.
The
ultimate cost, of course, is in human lives. While there is scant evidence that
marijuana use has directly cost many lives, we know that marijuana prohibition
has cost tens of thousands of lives. Again, I must ask – why?
That
is the personal cost, but there is also a huge societal cost. A group of over
500 top economists, including Milton Friedman, have estimated the cost of
marijuana prohibition at $20 billion annually. $20 BILLION! That means it costs
every man, woman, and child in the US $70 every year to maintain this
silliness. That total is over three times the total annual budget for the State
of Iowa. We’re talking real money here – money that could and should be put to
better use.
It
should be noted that these costs, at least in Johnson County, do NOT include
jailing. Contrary to popular belief, most inmates in the local jail are not
there on pot charges. I’ve worked with folks who review the jail log, and I’ve
never seen more than two people on any given day. (That does not mean there
have NEVER been more than two, but in reviewing a dozen days, I’ve never seen
it.) So just to be clear, legalizing marijuana would NOT obviate our jail
overcrowding. OK – back to my main point.
One
of the arguments against legalization goes like this: “Then why not legalize
every substance?” First, that is a red herring. Few folks are out there arguing
to legalize everything. The push to legalize pot is based on the cost/benefit
analysis. It is very favorable. Meth undoubtedly comes out much worse in a
similar review.
A better argument, in my opinion, is that of the slippery slope.
That reasoning claims that marijuana is a “gateway drug”, and its’ use will
lead people to harder drugs. There is a great deal of literature on this, and
there seem to be persuasive arguments on both sides. This is where I come back
once again to the idea of cost/benefit. We know that alcohol would fit the
definition of a “gateway drug”. But it is legal. Why? I think the US experience
with Prohibition proved that banning alcohol was a bad deal from a cost/benefit
analysis.
I’m tired of the timidity we see on this issue from our leaders.
We know the laws are stupid. We know they unnecessarily cost us lives and
money. There is no compelling reason to maintain the status quo. This is bad
public policy, plain and simple.
I called for Johnson County to add legalization of marijuana to
our State and Federal Legislative priorities this year. There were two votes
for it; I needed three. I’ll try again next year. Meanwhile, I urge you to make
this an issue with your elected officials at every level. The emperor has no
clothes… it is time we said so!
*DID YOU KNOW?
Anyone
interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the
County website-
"Sullivan’s
Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief
update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.
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come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the
whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise
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As always,
feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to
serving you!
---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 1:56 PM
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