all US companies begin routine testing of their employees for drug use. Liberal critics are up in arms about this, mostly because it violates the 4th Amendment (unreasonable search), but secondly because the tests are not completely accurate or reliable. Critics also assert that drugs can stay in the body for literally weeks, and that it is an invasion of privacy also, to judge what types of behavior an employee can or cannot engage in during their free time. [1] World Almanac and Book of Facts: 1992 [2] Academic American Encyclopedia [3] The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs: Marijuana RE-LEGALIZATION: Aside from some of the situations already cited herein, the arguments for marijuana's re-legalization seem founded moreso on the theme that the government had no justifiable purpose to illegalize it to begin with. Much evidence points to the fact that marijuana possession was made a criminal offense for the appeasement and profit of a few, select private interest groups - most notably the petrochemical and paper industries. As far as the taxpayers go, we've lost out. About 85% of marijuana arrests are for possession - usually for less than one ounce. Oregon was the first state to repeal the marijuana use prohibition laws, in 1973. California followed suit, in 1976. In Oregon, there was a 4% jump in marijuana use between 1974 and 1977, but this was no different than in other states, where the law had remained the same. California had estimated that it spent between $35 and $100 million per year enforcing the marijuana laws. Criminal custody, booking, and pretrial jailing were eliminated when possession of one ounce or less was reduced to a citable misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum fine of $100. A savings of 74% resulted from these changes. Even in states where the marijuana laws remain the same, enforcement has become more relaxed. No significant change in the amount of users has taken place due to this relaxation of the laws. [1] The...
