Though most students support medical marijuana use, some are more hesitant to get behind a law which, they say, could be exploited and misused.
“Legalizing marijuana for medical purposes creates a gray area between what it should actually be used for [and what it] is technically not legally supposed to be used for,” said David M. Larkin ’16, a registered Massachusetts voter who said he would vote no for Question 3.
Not all, however, held such a firm stance either for or against legalizing medical usage of the drug.
“The criminalization of drugs, especially marijuana, is always very tricky,” said Justin D. Porter ’16.
“It’s a really hard question,” said Julia Wang ’14. “I would be cautious in terms of considering whether or not to vote for this issue.”
SKY-HIGH CONSEQUENCES?
If the ballot question is approved, how the new law will play out and affect marijuana use in Massachusetts remains unclear.
Beyond the issue of ensuring that only those who need marijuana receive it, critics point out that the Question 3 text has no age restrictions. This loophole could make it easier for minors to obtain marijuana for recreational use, according to Scheft, who called the law’s loopholes “outrageous.”
UCLA professor Mark A. R. Kleiman, formerly a professor at the Kennedy School, said he expects the availability of medical marijuana will create enough market competition to drive prices down, leading to greater access for minors.
However, Jeffrey A. Miron, a senior lecturer in Harvard’s Economics department, foresees that the overall impact of the proposed law will be quite small.
“Marijuana is close to de facto being legal already. It is decriminalized already in Massachusetts, so people can purchase it without fear of being arrested, simply for being in possession for small amounts of an ounce or less,” said Miron, who in the past has spoken out in favor of fully legalizing marijuana.
The only changes Miron envisioned was a change in the habits of those who already smoke marijuana, and not in the number of people who do use marijuana.
“There are people who don’t consume alcohol, there are people who don’t eat ice cream, there are people who don’t do lots of things that they can readily afford,” said Miron.
Whether or not medical marijuana alters the landscape of drug use may not be clear for many months, but the election this week will determine its fate in Massachusetts.
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
CORRECTION: Nov. 5
Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this article said that citizens in Colorado will cast votes on whether to legalize medical marijuana in the 2012 election. In fact, medical marijuana is already legal in Colorado; the 2012 ballot measure would legalize small amounts of the drug for recreational use.