On November 6th, proponents of marijuana legalization celebrated victories in Colorado and Washington, where citizens voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana for those over the age of 21. That same day, various other states legalized the use of medical marijuana. Notably, Colorado’s Amendment 64 legalizes the possession, cultivation and transfer of small amounts of marijuana. Supporters stated the amendment will decrease Colorado’s prison populations and streamline its prison system, thus allowing the Colorado police force to focus on issues other than recreational drug use. Supporters of legalization, however, ignore one important point: possession and cultivation of marijuana by citizens under 21 remains illegal. Underage marijuana use currently permeates the country. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, nearly 70 percent of those arrested in New York City for charges relating to marijuana possession or usage are under 30, and the majority of those are under 21. With such widespread underage use, state authorities will still be distracted from more pressing issues. Thus, although lawmakers proposed the amendment with the intention of lowering the number of arrests in Colorado, the probable increase of marijuana could easily have the opposite effect and create a flourishing drug market. My concerns extend even further than Colorado. A massive amount of marijuana originates in association with large criminal organizations. The same organizations commit vast acts of violence to protect their market share and profits. Actions that enable local drug dealers also enable their distributors (unless they grow locally) and thus enable criminal organizations. I support the validity of the decision made by Colorado citizens, but I also wonder whether it was their decision to make. The decision should have come from the people who put their lives on the line to fight a war on drugs: police and other law enforcement. In the end, if Amendment 64 bolsters the under-21 drug markets, police officers will be the ones who will have to respond. If the purpose of Amendment 64 is to allow Colorado police to focus on more pressing issues, I do not have high hopes for its success. Shay Collins is a new Upper from Averill Park, NY.
