Letter to the editor: Legalizing marijuana shouldn't wait

Editors opine in favor of a “wait and see” approach when it comes to the issue of legalizing and regulating the adult use of marijuana in Pennsylvania (“Pa. should take it slow on legalizing marijuana,” Dec. 6, TribLIVE). The reality, however, is that nearly one in four Americans now reside in a jurisdiction where the adult use of cannabis is legal, and 36 states — including Pennsylvania — regulate medical marijuana access by statute. Many of these latter statewide policies have been in place for more than some two decades, while adult-use regulations have been in place in some jurisdictions for nearly 10 years.

To date, no state has ever repealed a marijuana legalization law (medical or otherwise), and two-thirds of adults — including majorities of self-identified Democrats, Republicans and independents — endorse making the plant legal, according to nationwide Gallup polling. As more states amend their cannabis laws, public support for legalization continues to rise. This rising support is evidence legalization laws are functioning largely as voters and lawmakers intended, and most voters prefer a policy of legalization over one of prohibition.

State politicians would be wise to listen to them. The establishment of a pragmatic regulatory framework that allows for the legal, licensed commercial production and retail sale of marijuana to adults but restricts and discourages its use among young people — coupled with a legal environment that fosters open, honest dialogue between parents and children about cannabis’ potential harms — best reduces the risks associated with the plant’s use or abuse. By contrast, advocating for the marijuana’s continued criminalization only compounds them.

Paul Armentano

Washington, D.C.