By Chris Freind
I was delirious with fever.
At first, I was certain it was Ebola. But turns out, it was much worse.
I found myself agreeing with Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter.
For a columnist espousing common sense and responsible government, any consensus with Nutter could make a career go to pot. But fair is fair, and in turning over a new leaf, I must congratulate the mayor for his recent action — which is sure to make the grass greener in Philadelphia. For a half-baked administration that’s been in the weeds for seven years, much more smoke than substance, better late than never.
In what will clearly be a high for the city, Mayor Nutter signed a law decriminalizing marijuana.
Maybe now Philadelphia can end its doobie-ous distinction of always being a backwards town as the mayor tries to get the joint back on track.
Adherents of misguided, draconian drug laws stand opposed to decriminalization, but they are living in a fog, using arguments better suited for the Stone Age.
The decriminalization of marijuana is a smart move for Philadelphia, and hopefully other municipalities will follow its lead.
To be clear, there is a distinction between legalization and decriminalization. Washington and Colorado have legalized marijuana, meaning people can grow and smoke a limited amount of pot without penalty; consumption laws are similar to those governing alcohol.
Decriminalization doesn’t make pot legal, but, as is the case with Philadelphia’s law, police will no longer arrest low-level offenders possessing small amounts of pot. Instead, those caught with 30 grams or less will receive a citation and a $25 fine; smoking it in public will result in either a $100 fine or up to nine hours of community service. Selling or distributing marijuana, as well as possessing more than 30 grams, are still crimes carrying significant penalties.
Nutter also is launching a public awareness campaign to explain the new law. That is commendable, since the average person thinks decriminalization and legalization are the same thing. There is a fine line between government decriminalizing pot and not appearing as though it is encouraging marijuana use.
Here’s the straight dope on why decriminalization is a good idea:
1. Why not decriminalize? At the most basic level, what’s the difference between smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol? Virtually none. Both alter the mind with excessive use, which is where that almost forgotten commodity called personal responsibility comes into play. If you drive or work while intoxicated, there is a price to be paid. The same types of regulations should apply to pot, as Washington and Colorado have done.
And let’s be honest: some of the biggest lobbies against decriminalization and legalization are the alcohol companies, but not because they’re worried about our health and well-being. Their opposition is rooted in financial self-interest, as they justifiably fear a loss of revenue as consumers emerge from the shadows to spend their “recreational” dollars elsewhere.
Bottom line: Since most people don’t view recreational marijuana use as harmful, and studies show pot is not a springboard to other drugs, what’s the big deal?
Ironically, it took action by died-in-the-wool big government Democrats like Nutter to start dismantling Philadelphia’s nanny state. Who would have ever believed that — without being high?
2. Logjams in law enforcement, backlogs in courts, and overcrowding in prisons will be somewhat relieved due to thousands fewer being arrested and processed in the judicial system. Granted, there are many other reforms needed, but this no-brainer is a good place to begin.
3. Police have better things to do than chase recreational pot users. Last time we checked, Philly still had extremely high rates of violence and murder; in fact, the Mayor is still being blatantly disingenuous in how he reports murders. Rather than comparing murders year to year, which is the common sense way to measure progress, he compares them to murders in 2007, the high-water mark for killings. So while the claim is made that the murder rate is “down,” there have actually been seven more murders year-to-date than at the same point in 2013.
There’s a lot of work to be done to make Philadelphia safer for residents, workers and tourists; finding solutions should be the Mayor’s first priority, and this new law will help him focus on that.
4. In a larger context, Nutter has much bigger fish to fry. Philadelphia is one of the most heavily taxed cities in the nation, its schools are dismal and manufacturing plants (and the good jobs they generate) are a distant memory. This has created a vicious cycle: Because of these problems, few companies want to relocate to Philadelphia and many others leave. As businesses and jobs disappear, so do billions in tax revenue; those remaining pay ever-higher taxes despite a vastly decreased customer base. The result is a rapidly-shrinking middle class and continued residential flight.
Any initiative not centered on reversing those monumental problems — such as expending resources to apprehend low-level pot smokers — should be immediately jettisoned.
The decriminalization of marijuana is not waving the white flag of defeat in the “war on drugs,” nor a gift to “druggies” born out of a desperate “they’re going to do it anyway, so why not make it legal” mentality.
It is a smart, reasonable approach to dealing with cannabis and its storied history (George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp) while not wavering on the fight against the real drugs that threaten society. Hopefully, decriminalization and legalization will also lead to more accepted medicinal marijuana for its undeniably positive attributes.
So kudos, Mr. Mayor. Moving forward, just don’t forget to exhale.
