States consider impact of legalizing, decriminalizing marijuana

Stuart Loory, Lee Hills Chair in Free-Press Studies, Missouri School of Journalism: Mind-altering drug production around the world has become an important issue again, but this time it is not narcotic drugs that are the concern. Marijuana is the product under discussion. Seventy-five years ago, 46 states in this country made use of marijuana illegal. The federal government says its illegal now, but several weeks ago, Attorney General Eric Holder said the government would no longer enforce laws in states where it was legal to dispense marijuana for medical purposes. California legalized use of marijuana for medical purposes in 2006, and since then 12 other states have followed suit. Are we headed down a path toward legalization of marijuana, and if so, what could be the impact? There is talk that California may be headed towards full legalization of marijuana, perhaps to help solve the state’s budget problems through taxes on the drug. Could that be so?