Transportation and sale would continue to be illegal. Millions of Americans use marijuana safely and responsibly. The National Institute of Medicine has confirmed that marijuana has substantial medical benefits with low toxicity and is not a gateway to addicting drugs. In 1990, the California Research Advisory Panel recommended that private adult cultivation and use of marijuana be completely decriminalized. The Presidential Commission on Marijuana, the National Academy of Sciences and the Washington State Democratic Party have made similar recommendations.
Research shows that marijuana is less harmful than many legal drugs, including tobacco.
Marijuana prohibition has not stopped cultivation but has unnecessarily marginalized a large number of otherwise law-abiding citizens who grow and use it. Marijuana prohibition does not restrict availability, but only keeps prices inflated. High prices support a dangerous illicit industry with large plantations attracting violent crimes. State and federal suppression programs have resulted in civil rights violations including warrantless search and seizure, low-flying aircraft property forfeiture and invasive blood testing. This money could be better spent on fighting serious crime as well as financing legitimate human needs.