There are some declassified Oval Office tapes from 1971-1972 that reveal the foundation of marijuana criminalization is misinformation, culture war and prejudice.
The Shafer Commission was appointed by President Nixon and conducted one of the most comprehensive examination and assessment of marijuana performed by the US government. The Oval Office tapes highlight the discrepancy between Nixon’s personal agenda and the commission’s recommendations.
Here are a few excerpts from a CSDP.org research report.
“The most important recommendation of the Commission was the decriminalization of possession and non-profit transfer of marijuana. Decriminalization meant there should be no punishment – criminal or civil – under state or federal law. The day before the Commission released its report President Nixon told Bob Haldeman: “We need, and I use the word ‘all out war,’ or all fronts . . . have to attack on all fronts.” The conversation went on to plan a speech about why Nixon opposed marijuana legalization and doing “a drug thing every week” during the 1972 presidential election year.”
“One year after Nixon’s “all out war” marijuana arrests jumped over 100,000 to 420,700 people. Since the Commission recommended marijuana offenses not be a crime nearly 15 million people have been arrested.”
“The impact of the marijuana laws has grown. In fact in recent years the FBI has reported a record number of marijuana arrests – last year 734,497 were arrested for marijuana, 80 percent for possession. From 1972-2000, 13,265,105 were Americans arrested on marijuana charges, countless families have been destroyed by marijuana enforcement. To what end? The marijuana laws have not prevented nearly 80 million Americans from trying marijuana.”
There are many articles, websites and lots more in depth information that one can read and learn a lot. Below are couple links for more info.
http://www.csdp.org/news/news/nixon.htm
http://norml.org/component/zoo/category/celebrating-35-years-of-failed-pot-policies
http://www.drugpolicy.org/new-solutions-drug-policy/brief-history-drug-war
Anyhow…here’s some stats to think about
U.S. Marijuana Arrests 1972-2000
(Source FBI, Uniform Crime Reports, 1972-2000.)
1972 – 292,179
1973 – 420,700
1974 – 445,000
1975 – 416,100
1976 – 441,100
1977 – 457,600
1978 – 445,800
1979 – 391,600
1980 – 405,600
1981 – 400,300
1982 – 455,600
1983 – 406,900
1984 – 419,400
1985 – 451,138
1986 – 361,780
1987 – 378,709
1988 – 391,600
1989 – 398,977
1990 – 326,850
1991 – 287,850
1992 – 342,314
1993 – 380,689
1994 – 499,122
1995 – 588,963
1996 – 641,642
1997 – 695,200
1998 – 682,885
1999 – 704,812
2000 – 734,695
Michigan since voters approved medicinal marijuana laws
| Michigan | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | ARC |
| Possession | 16,214 | 17,181 | 18,455 | 16,661 | 17,212 | 1.5% |
| Sales | 3,559 | 3,834 | 3,988 | 3,421 | 3,137 | -3.1% |
| Total | 19,773 | 21,015 | 22,443 | 20,082 | 20,349 | 0.7% |
And California– Note the drop 2010-2011
One would imagine this opens up some room for murderers, rapists and those more deserving of prison stays.
| California | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | ARC |
| Possession | 63,156 | 63,450 | 56,986 | 10,450 | 10,385 | -36.3% |
| Sales | 15,486 | 15,113 | 14,554 | 11,956 | 10,871 | -8.5% |
| Total | 78,642 | 78,563 | 71,540 | 22,406 | 21,256 | -27.9% |
Click here for state by state statistics and laws
ARC: Annual Rate of Change
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program
Michael Komorn is recognized as a leading expert on the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act. He is the President of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Association (MMMA), a nonprofit patient advocacy group with over 26,000 members, which advocates for medical marijuana patients, and caregiver rights. Michael is also the host of Planet Green Trees Radio, a marijuana reform based show, which is broadcast every Thursday night 8-10 pm EST. Follow Komorn on Twitter.
