New Pot and Tobacco Law
Listen to the full show:
Audio for http://www.bu.edu/wbur/storage/2008/11/radioboston_1114.mp3
Newly relaxed laws on marijuana were passed by ballot initiative on election day. We’ll take a look at these new rules, and at the changing rules for tobacco sales and use. We’ll also re-examine the arcane way liquor licenses are awarded in Boston.
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I do not smoke marijuana, nor have I ever, but I support this new legislation to decriminalize it. As a matter of fact, I support the decriminalization of non-violent/non-accident (first offense only) OUI charges; I have known many people who have caused no harm or damage yet have recieved permanent criminal records and been the victim of social stigma as a result of a first offense OUI.
Like the marijuana laws, it is an unneccessary drain on our courts, and is too easy an avenue for police to focus on as a revenue generator. It creates criminals out of otherwise innocent people.
Please do not mis-understand, multiple offenses and offenses that involve damage and injury should be prosecuted to the full extent.
I also feel, as a non-smoker, that it is nice to have a smokeless restaurant or bar to go to, but a cigar bar is exactly that, and should be allowed to continue being that.
The main problem is that government is trying to regulate behavior, and not punish actual crimes. If one causes harm or injury, by action or inaction than one should be held accountable, but one should not be held accountable for what “might” have happened. It’s just twisted and wrong.
Specifically Re: new tobacco laws. I appreciated the gentlemen’s perspective concerning the positive impact the new smoking laws have made in only a five years. However, when it comes to enforcing stricter, more paternalistic laws like outlawing cigarettes on college campuses i begin to get wary. His rationale–that smoking is still the number one cause of “preventable” deaths nation-wide–while a noble reason, seems as if it could be easily dismantled. What, for instance, is the technical definition here of “preventable”? Are automobile accidents preventable? what about wars? It seems like a classic case of defining your argument with terms that sound scientific, but are based on arbitrary designations, like the definition of “preventable”. Most death is preventable depending on how one chooses to use the potentially nominal term.