[420 Girl]

When we foresee our own future, very few of us think beyond what we plan to do with our lives. The average college students feel that the future of politics, justice, and tolerance are irrelevant to them and their futures, and many fail to see that our fates are tied together. We will all, one day, influence this country as much as it influences us right now.

Some of us—like myself—are Criminal Justice majors; some of us are Political Science majors, and it is not unreasonable to say that most of us will become important authority figures in local, state, or federal government.

As a disclaimer I feel obliged to say that I cannot effectively predict the future. I am just reporting what has become a probable future for marijuana laws based on what I have observed. Perspectives on marijuana laws and government regulations are likely shared by many while equally forsaken by others.

The split will be one of tolerance. A significant divide between those who don’t tolerate pot-smoking and those who do will likely result in a dramatic change in the recognition of human rights. We already know that marijuana is illegal on the federal level, and that certain states allow smoking pot for medicinal purposes. Research has shown that there are substantial uses for marijuana as a medicine and hemp as a raw material for many economic products. It has also shown that is less harmful than once reported.

The Ninth Amendment to the U.S. constitution is set in place to protect the right of doing what comes naturally to humans. If it were not the nature of some individuals to smoke pot, then it would not have become such a popular lifestyle choice.

Will our future politicians and police recognize that human rights take precedence over a law based on inaccurate, propaganda-fueled assumptions of their predecessors in Washington?

I myself do not foresee significant change in government on the federal level although it is possible that marijuana will be reclassified in the Controlled Substance Act, but it is a long winding road to that destination. However, on the state level it may become legal to possess small amounts of marijuana and to sell it with a proper license. If marijuana were to become legal for recreational use even on a state level it would be a significant economic stimulus for the whole nation.

Despite recent drug busts, from what I observe, the correct justice system is more tolerant than ever in regards to marijuana offenses, and hopefully our future justice system may be even more tolerant of human rights. It is highly possible the justice system may abandon all intentions of sending a person to prison for a nonviolent marijuana crime.

Of all the Criminal Justice majors I’ve spoken to, one in three have tried marijuana (of those one in three, half are habitual users), three in five favor legalization or reclassification, and most, if not all, claim to be tolerant of pot and do not see it as a major threat. Some even claimed that they would not arrest pot dealers because they recognize that pot is a lot less dangerous than most other drugs around. These people will be our future judges, cops, sheriffs, prosecutors, probation/parole officers, and so on.

A significant change in the justice system’s view will likely be tied to localized change in public opinions on marijuana. If it becomes legal in a good number of influential states, then within the next two generations it may become legal nationwide, and one day could be a major source of peace for our nation.

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