Marijuana Policy Project

Esquire magazine recently reported that representatives from Barack Obama's administration team admit the president-elect will give strong consideration to decriminalizing marijuana by the end of his tenure in office. Those remarks follow comments issued last summer by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts), who introduced H.R. 5843 — an act to remove federal penalties for the use of marijuana by "responsible adults." According to CNN, the liberal lawmaker "doesn't think it's the government's business to tell you how to spend your leisure time."

Lending the Esquire article additional credence is an interview with Obama, recorded in January 2004, during which the then-U.S. Senate candidate expressed interest in decriminalizing the personal use of pot. (See YouTube video)
 
As someone who is very much aware of how this drug has harmed so many people from my generation, I adamantly disagree with this "floating" proposal. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency lists marijuana as "a Schedule 1 controlled substance, meaning it has a high potential for abuse."
 
It's irresponsible for members of the incoming administration to float this idea and to send such a message to millions of young Americans — although I'm sure many supporters of medical marijuana use would disagree. But I think they should reconsider. Currently more than 50 head shops in San Francisco act as fronts for marijuana distribution in that city. According to The O'Reilly Factor, these shops not only attract petty crime but other non-desirable activity as well.
 
Anyone who knows anything about drug abuse knows that marijuana has been a "gateway" drug for many of those who use and abuse hard narcotics. Many people are first exposed to that dark world through a few puffs of a supposedly "innocent" marijuana cigarette.
 
Marijuana desensitizes people — and its everyday use makes people lazy and unproductive. And it's addictive! I have personally seen this substance harm friends from school days past. Perhaps that's why I am so upset that consideration would be given to decriminalizing its use.
 
Still, Congressman Frank garnered support from seven other Democratic House members in sponsoring his legislation. Included in that group was Rep. Barbara Lee from California's District 9 (Berkeley and Oakland). By voicing her support, Lee — a member of the House Black Caucus — made light of the recreational use of a drug that is destroying the lives of hundreds of her own constituents.
 
If Lee wants to act responsibly and do something constructive, she should target the drug dealers in her district who are irreparably damaging the lives of untold numbers of people. Ironically, though, Congresswoman Lee's tact is to say that present drug enforcement laws are "inhumane" and "immoral."
 
Similarly, if president-elect Obama wants to act responsibly, he should immediately retract this reckless proposal being "floated" by his advisors.