Bridget Johnson always shows up for work at a northside restaurant on time. Her managers love her work ethic and many of the customers who enjoy eating at the traditional family establishment like her smile, professionalism and ability to make the day better with an encouraging word or joke.
However, Johnson, a 27-year-old server, finds herself breaking the law after she leaves work, almost every night. She enjoys buying and smoking marijuana, also known as pot or weed.
“It just feels good and relaxes me after a long, hard day,” said Johnson who did not use her real name out of concern she’d lose her job. “That’s one way I stay calm. What’s wrong with it?”
Apparently, a lot, from the view of federal and state government, which has outlawed marijuana possession and use.
Legalization of marijuana became a hot topic again this week after President Barack Obama made comments that seemed to support a reduction in penalties for having it, and an Indiana legislator presented a bill that would do just that.
In an interview with the New Yorker, the president described smoking marijuana as a “bad idea, a waste of time and not very healthy.”
However, he also described marijuana as less dangerous than alcohol and encouraged the process of legalization of small amounts similar to what has occurred in states such as Colorado and Washington.
He also became the first president to specifically acknowledge the unfair and severe disparities when it comes to the enforcement of marijuana laws.
“Middle class kids don’t get locked up for smoking pot, and poor kids do,” he said. “And African-American kids and Latino kids are more likely to be poor and less likely to have the resources and the support to avoid unduly harsh policies.”
More than 8.2 million Americans were arrested for having possession of marijuana between 2001 and 2010, with roughly one arrest every 37 seconds, according to research of arrest records conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
That same study showed that across the country, law enforcement agencies spent over $3.6 billion enforcing marijuana laws in 2010 alone.
In addition, the ACLU’s research proved what many have already suspected: that minorities are arrested for marijuana at rates that are far higher than whites, with African-Americans 3.7 times more likely than whites to be arrested for marijuana.
In Indiana, the debate over legalization of marijuana has been brought closer to the forefront during the current session of the Indiana General Assembly with the introduction of a bill by State Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Portage, that would reduce the penalty for possession of a small amount of marijuana from a misdemeanor to an infraction with a fine, similar to those imposed for traffic tickets.
“We need to stop putting our kids in jail for what is becoming legal all over the country,” Tallian said in a statement.
Like other supporters of legalization, Tallian believes certain amounts of marijuana could be made legal and simply regulated like alcohol or cigarettes and taxed, which could raise much needed funds for various state services.
“We could balance our budget if we tax it and control sales,” Tallian said.
She admitted, however, that her bill is unlikely to be passed this session, but she would like to at least have a hearing for it in a Senate committee.
Paul Whitesell, former superintendent of the Indiana State Police, made an observation similar to Tallian’s when speaking before a state budget committee meeting reviewing drug enforcement laws shortly before leaving his position in 2013.
“If it were up to me, I do believe I would legalize it and tax it, particularly in sight of the fact that several other states have now come to that part of their legal system as well,” Whitesell told the committee.
Support for decriminalization of marijuana has steadily grown in Indiana, as shown by a recent survey conducted by the Bowen Center for Public Affairs at Ball State University, which showed 52 percent of respondents saying marijuana should be simply “regulated like alcohol.”
Opponents of marijuana legalization, however, argue that its increased use could open the door to more problems.
In a statement released by his office, Gov. Mike Pence made clear his opposition to legalization, and while running for governor specifically described marijuana as a “gateway drug,” or a substance that could lead users to trying other illegal substances and narcotics.
That sentiment is shared by Indianapolis resident Clint Davis, a father of two children, including one in middle school and another in high school.
“Making marijuana legal will do nothing to enhance our community,” he said. “I don’t think we should put our children in a position that makes it easier for them to get even the slightest amount. Some people get bored easily and once that happens they are ready to try something that could be dangerous.”
Some African-American leaders, however, say reducing penalties for marijuana could ease the burden of unfair enforcement policies.
Ben Jealous, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, says marijuana arrests have led to mass incarceration of African-Americans.
“Any arrest, even for marijuana, is a blot on someone’s record and an impediment to future jobs and opportunities,” he said. “For these reasons, a number of NAACP state conferences have supported decriminalization.”
