On Election Night, Colorado and Washington state legalized recreational use of marijuana, indicating that the drug may be finding more acceptance in the U.S.

The success of the ballot initiatives has brought the debate over the nature of marijuana use back to the forefront and renewed interest in a bill to legalize medical marijuana in New York.

The bill, already passed in the NY State Assembly, calls for allowing the possession, manufacture, use and administration of marijuana by a “certified patient or designated caregiver for a certified medical use.”

A section of the bill also directs the State Department of Health to issue registry identification cards to authorized patients and caregivers.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has shifted his position on the bill and has not yet given a definite stance, The Wall Street Journal reported on April 9.

Although Colorado’s and Washington state’s ballot initiatives legalize only small amounts of marijuana, they represent a victory for the growing movement to decriminalize the drug.

Studies have found that medical marijuana can treat many conditions such as multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, neuropathic pain, chronic pain and epilepsy, said Julie Netherland, deputy state director for the New York Office of the Drug Policy Alliance.

Recent public debate has switched between viewing marijuana as a federally classified Schedule I prohibited drug and as “compassionate” marijuana, useful in alleviating pain.

But Dessa Bergen-Cico, assistant professor of public health, food and nutrition, pointed out that neighboring states have passed similar legislation and predicted that New York would follow suit “within two years.”

“There is no good reason to keep marijuana from patients, or to keep it as a Schedule I drug,” Bergen-Cico said.

She sees “not much in the way of cons,” noting that medical marijuana has “less side effects than most synthetic drugs.”

The speculation over legalization in New York has revealed another narrative of marijuana use, in which students find benefits outside of traditional medicine.

Tim McNeish, a sophomore photography major, said he saw his ADD symptoms decrease over the course of two years of smoking marijuana.

“I am much better able to focus, maintain composure and not act out,” he said.

He also said marijuana helped improve his “enjoyment and involvement with the arts,” stimulating his creativity.

“Marijuana can be extraordinarily beneficial when used properly,” said McNeish.

Sean Schupak, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, said he experienced similar benefits.

“It brings in color when things are gray and sparks curiosity when we’ve abandoned curiosity,” Schupak said.

Ben Domingo, Syracuse University’s Health Services director, declined to take a side, calling legalization a “tough issue,” but voiced concern about laced marijuana.

Domingo said he has seen students come into Health Services with “bad” marijuana, laced with substances such as bath salts.

“I’ve seen cases of severe paranoia and negative effects on the heart,” Domingo said. “The preferred method, which is smoking, is stronger than smoking a cigarette with more damage to the lungs.”

The push to legalize has received momentum from the ballot initiatives in Colorado and Washington state, but it is still unclear whether the New York Senate has taken action.

One of the biggest challenges is opposition from the general public, which is “understandably” concerned with the effects of decriminalization, said Bergen-Cico.

Bergen-Cico calls marijuana a “low-risk substance” compared to alcohol and other substances, adding that the “greatest consequence is the legal consequences.”

“We are among some of the most restrictive in the sentencing and policy towards marijuana,” Bergen-Cico said. “If you look at countries that have allowed wholesale access, the THC quantities are labeled and there are no adulterants.”

Bergen-Cico, who has toured dispensaries in California and observed surrounding activity, said that in Holland, which allows broader access, she has “not really seen this public downfall” associated with marijuana use.

But she also called law enforcement a major stakeholder, claiming that for them, decriminalization is a “power issue.”

Said Bergen-Cico: “There is a significant personal interest on the part of people who work in criminal justice, the court system, public defenders, the DEA, local police and such, because that is a significant amount of what they spend their time doing.”

Published on November 13, 2012 at 12:22 am

Contact Natsumi: najisaka@syr.edu