Richard Lowry

About the author: Richard Lowry is editor of the National Review, a conservative journal of opinion.

Marijuana is a relatively innocuous drug, no more harmful than alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine. Most marijuana smokers are young adults who slow down or stop their drug use after the age of thirty-four, and the vast majority of these smokers do not go on to use other illicit drugs. Marijuana use can lead to mild psychological dependence, but the drug is not physically addictive. Longterm marijuana smokers may experience minor—but nonpermanent —cognitive impairments. The current illegal status of marijuana is rooted more in cultural prejudice than in truth: Alcohol and tobacco have been historically acceptable to Americans, while marijuana has been seen as an "alien" drug. Such prejudice does not justify prohibition.

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