Arguments about marijuana decriminalization and legalization have become increasingly popular in last few years as states begin to change their laws about weed. New York decriminalized marijuana in August, downgrading the penalty for unlawful pot possession from a misdemeanor to a fine.

Supporters of the change say it’s a step in the right direction, but decriminalization is actually the wrong choice. It sets the stage for future legalization, and with that, increased health problems in New York.

This new law also expunges the criminal records of people charged with marijuana possession. The shift from misdemeanor to violation means that a person caught with marijuana will be much less likely to face any big charges for possession.

Although marijuana may not be as addictive as other drugs, it still poses health risks that decriminalization and legalization exacerbate.

Public health professor Dessa Bergen-Cico, an expert in addictive disorders and public health professor at Syracuse University’s David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, said very few people actually become addicted to marijuana.

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Studies from the National Institute on Drug Abuse show that only about 9% of adults and 17% of teens become addicted to marijuana. Cannabis, therefore, has a much lower addictive potential than other illegal drugs.

“It operates differently on the central nervous system than drugs that have higher addictive potentials, such as stimulants and depressants,” Bergen-Cico said.

But marijuana doesn’t need to be addictive to pose risks.

According to the American Medical Association, people who used cannabis had an increased number of calls to poison control, more emergency hospital visits and an increased number of deaths due to impaired driving from marijuana. Short term effects of marijuana consumption include memory problems, hallucinations, paranoia, lowered reaction time and increased risk of strokes and heart attacks.

Although some people make the argument that marijuana is much safer than many other illegal drugs, this does not mean it is a safe drug.

In 2015, synthetic marijuana use caused a surge in emergency room visits in Syracuse. Patients who’d consumed synthetic weed — often called spice or spike — overwhelmed emergency rooms across the city. Syracuse dealt with more spike-related hospitalization than most states reported overall that month.

Although marijuana itself may not be extremely addictive, it does tend to have recurring negative impacts. Decriminalizing marijuana — and potentially legalizing it in the future — could have consequences. There is real danger to minimize the risk.

By decriminalizing marijuana, New York is downplaying the consequences of using a drug whose full effects are still unknown and opening its residents up to potential health risks.

Skylar Swart is a freshman political science major. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at saswart@syr.edu. She can be followed on Twitter at @SkylarSwart.

LEARN MORE:

• Experts say New York’s marijuana decriminalization “falls short”
  
• Moderate column | Marijuana should be fully legalized in New York

Published on September 19, 2019 at 3:05 am