Marihuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding Part II

Our country is finally starting to acknowledge that we have a drug problem, and it’s about time we do something to solve it. The billions we spend need to be examined closer, alternative solutions should be explored. We can’t just keep throwing money at the problem and expect it to go away. Change is necessary, this social stigma and fear surrounding marijuana shouldn’t prevent our country from progressing. The saying goes; “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”, but the system is broke, Americans need an open mind to allow ourselves to find the best solution.

Currently the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is going through a complete overhaul, facilitated in 2008 when congress chose the National Academy of Public Administration to assist in developing a new, more effective strategy to deal with our country’s drug problem. Their report “ONDCP: Building the Capacity to Address the Nation’s Drug Problems”, is a thorough examination of ONDCP with recommendations on how to make the agency more effective.

The report doesn’t suggest any new drug policies or present any magical solutions to our problem. It is an overview of how to improve the ONDCP operations and better utilize their 14 billion dollar budget. The deficiencies in the ONDCP since its existence boggle the mind. Here is an excerpt from the executive summary page.

In consultation with ONDCP, the Panel determined that the review should focus on the following areas:

• Structure, organization, and management of ONDCP;
• Resource management, planning, and budgeting;
• Hiring, recruitment, and utilization of personnel; and
• Policy development, coordination, and implementation.

The Panel determined in the course of the study that the following areas merited more detailed Treatment:

• National Drug Control Strategy, budget, and ONDCP funding;
• ONDCP statutory requirements;
• ONDCP workforce; and
• ONDCP goals and performance measures.

Sounds like a lot of important areas they need to improve in. The report seems to go into every detail. Recently Attorney General Eric Holder reaffirmed the new administration’s drug policy regarding state medical marijuana rights. Only people violating both state and federal law will be in danger of prosecution from the federal government. Reallocating DEA investigations and insuring legitimate medical cannabis dispensaries will not be raided.

This differs from George W. Bush supporting the governments’ raids on medical marijuana dispensaries. One might say it’s not his fault; Bush followed Presidents previous positions on fighting marihuana. I almost believed that argument, until I found this old Dallas Morning News article where he contradicts himself. Before Bush was elected President he was against the federal government interfering in what he deemed a state issue.

Now think back to 1971 about this conservative commission. Their report provides the foundation for my beliefs, and hope that we can end our “war on drugs”. Why would our politicians ignore a bipartisan commission’s findings? They came to three conclusions about the total prohibition of marijuana; “Application of the criminal law to private possession is philosophically inappropriate, application of the criminal law is constitutionally suspect, and that total prohibition is functionally inappropriate.”

It has been almost 40 years and our federals laws still prohibit marijuana. Doesn’t this sound like hypocrisy at the highest level? The commission recommended two changed in the federal law to Nixon.

“Possession of marihuana for personal use would no longer be an offense, but marihuana possessed in public would remain contraband subject to summary seizure and forfeiture. Casual distribution of small amounts of marihuana for no remuneration, or insignificant remuneration not involving profit would no longer be an offense.”

Here are a couple of inspiring messages to reflect on, located in the report's “A Final Comment” section, considering members were conservatively selected by Nixon. I wonder where our country would be if Nixon would have heeded their advice, from chapter 5 Marihuana and Social Policy.

“On the basis of our findings, discussed in previous Chapters, we have concluded that society should seek to discourage use, while concentrating its attention on the prevention and treatment of heavy and very heavy use. The Commission feels that the criminalization of possession of marihuana for personal is socially self-defeating as a means of achieving this objective.”………

“Considering the range of social concerns in contemporary America, marihuana does not, in our considered judgment, rank very high. We would deemphasize marihuana as a problem.

The existing social and legal policy is out of proportion to the individual and social harm engendered by the use of the drug. To replace it, we have attempted to design a suitable social policy, which we believe is fair, cautious and attuned to the social realities of our time.”