American majorities favor decriminalizing marijuana

Marijuana

Gordon Matilla----Maryland is one of the latest of the states to develop strategies for not just legalizing marijuana, but regulating and helping the decriminalizing of it;  as the rest of the country is marching toward acceptance of a drug much maligned for many years, as once it was an accepted remedy for ailments of all types, as American majorities favor decriminalizing the drug  and for the first time recognize it as viable for medical use.

In Maryland a candidate for Governor, Heather Mizeur was actually running on a platform to legalize marijuana and as a result is making headlines. She favors legalizing marijuana for recreational use, saying, “We will take the underground market that exists for everyone trying to access this substance and bring it to the light of day,” “We will take the underground market that exists for everyone trying to access this substance and bring it to the light of day.” 

In the meantime states like Oregon and Hawaii have passed distribution laws, regulating and decriminalizing the drug for medical use, as some supporters of legalizing it for recreational use are hoping Oregon will follow Washington that is now developing new pathways for other states. Colorado also has legalized marijuana for recreational use.

Much of the effort toward decriminalizing marijuana comes on the heels of the nation's concern that too many people have ended up in jail for simple possession of the drug, with the heel especially on the backs of minorities.  Decriminalizing it, some say, will reduce some of the prison population as a result.

The biggest problem for the various states, in their efforts to legalize marijuana, has to do with the fact that Federal law prohibits it.  Although most places where marijuana is legal turn aside from arresting and prosecuting those with marijuana, Federal authorities have asserted authority in Oregon, Washington and California, closing down some of the distribution centers or investigating suppliers.

Americans favor national legalization of marijuana, as it takes more than just a village but a nation to help make the use of marijuana legal for those who benefit from it medically.  At the same decriminalizing it, according to authorities, will aid in research and ways to improve the distribution and delivery of the drug while reducing prison costs by not jailing the distributors and users of the drug.