CONSIDERATIONS FOR AND AGAINST THE REDUCTION OF FEDERAL PENALTIES FOR POSSESSION OF SMALL AMOUNTS OF MARIJUANA FOR PERSONAL USE - REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON NARCOTICS ABUSE AND CONTROL, 95TH CONGRESS, MAY 1977

• NCJ Number: 43690
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 44 pages
• Corporate Author: US Congress
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED BY CONGRESS IN DECIDING WHETHER TO DECRIMINALIZE THE POSSESSION OF SMALL AMOUNTS OF MARIJUANA FOR PERSONAL USE ARE PRESENTED.

Abstract

THE REPORT SUMMARIZES TESTIMONY BY EXPERTS IN SCIENCE, LAW, SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH, AND RELATED FIELDS. FEDERAL POLICY AND LEGAL, MEDICAL, LAW ENFORCEMENT, SOCIOLOGICAL, PUBLIC, AND PRIVATE SECTOR CONSIDERATIONS ARE ADDRESSED. THE DISCUSSION OF MEDICAL ISSUES INCLUDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA ON HUMANS, REVIEWS OF CHRONIC USER STUDIES IN GREECE AND JAMAICA, AND A CHART SUMMARIZING KEY MEDICAL RESEARCH ON MARIJUANA USE CONDUCTED IN THE 1970'S. THE REVIEW OF LAW ENFORCEMENT CONSIDERATIONS EXAMINES FEDERAL EFFORTS TO ENFORCE MARIJUANA LAWS AND THE PROBABLE EFFECT OF FEDERAL DECRIMINALIZATION ON THESE EFFORTS; THE EFFECT OF FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS ON ASPECTS OF PROBABLE CAUSE, DETERRENCE, EQUAL PROTECTION, AND RESPECT FOR LAWS; AND AREAS IN WHICH LIMITED FEDERAL AND LOCAL POLICE RESOURCES SHOULD BE APPLIED. EXPERIENCES WITH REDUCED PENALTIES FOR MARIJUANA POSSESSION IN CALIFORNIA AND OREGON ARE RECOUNTED. THE OPINIONS OF OPPONENTS AND PROPONENTS OF DECRIMINALIZATION ARE SUMMARIZED. NO CONCLUSIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE OFFERED.