Marijuana rescheduling is a political shortcut — not sound policy |
Marijuana rescheduling is a political shortcut — not sound policy
I did not come to drug policy through politics or academia. My perspective was shaped by lived experience, beginning more than two decades ago in my own neighborhood.
I live in Pacific Beach, San Diego — a coastal community that was struggling with rising crime and a growing drug culture. Our business district became lined with stores openly selling drug paraphernalia, despite laws prohibiting it. Frustrated by the lack of enforcement and the visible decline of our community, residents and business owners formed a grassroots group, SavePB, to restore safety and support legitimate businesses.
Before we made progress shutting down those illegal shops, a new development emerged: storefronts openly selling marijuana. At the time, retail marijuana sales were illegal. However, California’s Proposition 215 created an “affirmative defense” for possession, and that ambiguity was quickly exploited. Dealers began operating retail outlets under the appearance of legitimacy.
The result was not thoughtful policy — it was disorder. San Diego saw roughly 250 illegal marijuana shops open, with 25 concentrated in my neighborhood before enforcement began.
That experience revealed a lasting truth: when drug policy is unclear or weakly enforced, illegal markets expand rapidly, and communities bear the consequences. I have watched that pattern repeat over the past 20 years.
That moment also set me on a path of voluntary work in drug prevention. Over time, I have engaged with families, educators, and individuals impacted by substance use. What I have seen is deeply concerning. We are in the midst of a drug-use epidemic, and for many, it begins with marijuana.
The average age of first marijuana use is just over 12. Early use is associated with addiction, mental health challenges, academic failure, and social withdrawal. I have spoken with families who describe losing a child — not always to........