one has beenable to demonstrate a chemical or psychological connection between cannabis and other drugs. Theconnection if any is a social one, possibly one of personality. A person inclined to drug use may start withmarijuana and go on to other drugs-not because of the pot, but because of a personality need. The samequestionable connection exists between marijuana and crime. Marijuana is not “safe”. No drug is completely safe, not aspirin and certainly not alcohol. But a fairconclusion seems to be that light, recreational use of marijuana by adults as generally practiced in this countryhas not shown ant evidence of being harmful. As with alcohol, casual use is virtually safe; more extensiveabuse may be increasingly dangerous. A cannabis “high” while occurring , may expose one to immediateerrors of judgment and movement, but to a much less degree than intoxication with alcohol. Heavy doses andlong time use may be detrimental, particularly with regard to the lungs and perhaps in other respects not yetproven in long range studies. Eight states have decriminalized the private possession of small amounts of marijuana, making it a civiloffense subject to minor punishment that does not include a criminal arrest record. Most states have made potpossession a misdemeanor rather than a felony, with others moving in that direction. Obviously the fight overmarijuana is continuing, although the principle of decriminalizing marijuana has not yet been generallyaccepted. Whatever the ultimate decision as to harmfu...
