Marijuana
Legalization
Organization

• Sources on Marijuana as Medicine
  • "Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base" (1999) -- The Institute of Medicine (IOM) published this report in response to the the White House's request for a review of scientific information about marijuana's medical uses. This report is informative and straightforward, and states the clear conclusion that scientific evidence indicates the therapeutic effects of "cannabinoid drugs, primarily THC, for pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation." Read the report here!

  • This report from the American Medical Association provides an authoritative survey of medical marijuana research and policy. The report summarizes the present information about marijuana's therapeutic effects and calls for further research on the subject. The report also emphasizes that doctors and patients should be allowed to communicate freely, without governmental restrictions.

• Historical Reference
  • The National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse (also known as the Shafer Commission) was ordered by President Richard M. Nixon to study the effects of marijuana on society. The commission's report, titled "Marihuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding," was published in March 1972 and concludes that marijuana prohibition is "Philosophically Inappropriate", "Constitutionally Suspect", and "Functionally Inappropriate." The commission decided that while marijuana use should be discouraged, prohibition is not a good solution. This report is essential reading for anyone who wants to be well informed on the issue of marijuana legalization. This online version of the report is hosted by the Schaffer Library of Drug Policy.

  • The La Guardia Committee Report, published in 1944, was commissioned by New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia to investigate the effects of marijuana. The full report is available online from the Schaffer Library of Drug Policy. The La Guardia Committee essentially found that the popular claims about the negative effects of marijuana were wildly exaggerated.

  • Alcohol Prohibition Was A Failure: Auburn Economics professor Mark Thornton uses statistics and analysis to demonstrate how alcohol prohibition failed. The same arguments apply to marijuana prohibition today.

• Information and Propaganda about Marijuana from Government Sources
  • The Office of National Drug Control Policy represents the White House Drug Policy online. Their site includes information about drug policy, with factsheets on various drugs and a section on marijuana.

  • The U.S. Department of Justice has a "National Drug Intelligence Center" (NDIC) -- Check out their marijuana "National Drug Threat Assessment 2005."

  • The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) offers information on various drugs; click here for NIDA's marijuana infofacts, or click here for the main NIDA website.

  • The Office of National Drug Control Policy has two separate websites for dispensing anti-marijuana propaganda. The Anti-Drug is aimed at helping parents address the issue with their kids, and FreeVibe is supposed to be the 'hip' way for teens to learn about drugs.

  • The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) publishes this guide to speaking out against drug legalization. Anyone who wants to argue FOR legalization should understand the arguments that the DEA makes against legalization.

• Marijuana Policy in the Media
  • Ethan Nadelmann's article, An End To Marijuana Prohibition provides strong documentation to support arguments for the legalization of marijuana. The article originally appeared in the July 12, 2004 National Review.

  • "The case for legalisation" appeared in The Economist on July 26, 2001 (subscription required to view full article).

  • The PBS Frontline documentary "Busted: America's War on Marijuana", approaches the marijuana issue from several perspectives.

  • Rich Lowry, editor of the National Review, refutes the anti-marijuana arguments in "Weed Whackers: The anti-marijuana forces, and why they're wrong".

• Organizations:
  • The Drug Policy Alliance has a good website with a lot of valuable information. Definitely take a look at their Marijuana Fact Page. Also check out their bibliography of marijuana regulation and reform.

  • The Drug Library is an extensive collection of resources presented by the The Drug Reform Coordination Network. Make sure to check out the Schaffer Library of Drug Policy, which has a great selection of documents about marijuana.

  • Drug Sense is an organization that promotes sensible drug policy.

  • The American Civil Liberties Union is devoted to defending civil rights. Check out the ACLU spotlight on "Why Marijuana Law Reform Should Matter To You" By Ira Glasser.

  • The Drug Policy Project of the Federation of American Scientists compiles research reports covering a wide range of drug policy topics. Their Drug Policy Analysis Bulletin includes several reports that are valuable for anyone hoping to understand the state of marijuana policy in America:
    • Appraisals of the Adverse Health Effects of Cannabis Use: Ideology and Evidence by Wayne Hall (Issue 7, June 1999)
      
    • Can Supply Factors Suppress Marijuana Use By Youth? by Jonathan Caulkins (Issue 7, June 1999)
      
    • Marijuana Arrests and Incarceration in the United States by Chuck Thomas (Issue 7, June 1999)
      
    • In What Sense (if any) is Marijuana a Gateway Drug? by Robert MacCoun (Issue 4, February 1998)
      
    • Thoughts on the Medical Cannabis Issue by Mark Kleiman (Issue 2, May 1997)
      

• Public Opinion:
  • Zogby Poll: 46 Percent of Americans Believe Pot Should Be Regulated Like Alcohol (March 2006)
    The national poll, commissioned by NORML, included 1,004 likely voters and found public support for legalized regulation of marijuana (46 percent) nearly even with support for continued prohibition (49 percent).

  • Older Americans support access to marijuana for medicinal use (December 2004)
    An AARP survey shows that 72 percent of Americans over 45 agree that adults should be allowed to legally use marijuana for medical purposes if a physician recommends it.

  • "40 Percent of Americans Say Treat Pot Like Booze" (June 2003)
    A Zogby International poll in June 2003 found that 41 percent of those responding agreed that "the government should treat marijuana more or less the same way it treats alcohol: it should regulate marijuana, control it, tax it, and only make it illegal for children."

  • "Public support for marijuana legalization continues to rise" (August 2001)
    A USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup poll in August 2001 indicated that support for full-scale legalization of marijuana is higher than ever at 34%, and 70% of Americans support legalization of marijuana for medical purposes.

   

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