Sgt. Gary Wiegert of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department speaks at a panel about marijuana, held at Harris-Stowe State University on Monday night. Sitting next to him are Show-Me Cannabis executive director John Payne (left) and Dan Duncan (right), associate executive director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse in St. Louis.
Disproportionate arrests based on skin color, scientific impact on the brain, and the potential financial ramifications surrounding legalization/decriminalization of marijuana were all part of a forum at Harris-Stowe State University on Monday night.
Hosted by Sixth Ward Alderwoman Christine Ingrassia, the event included Show-Me Cannabis executive director John Payne; Sgt. Gary Wiegert of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department; Dan Duncan, associate executive director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse in St. Louis; Adolphus Pruitt, president of the St. Louis chapter of the NAACP; and Mustafa Abdullah, program associate for the ACLU of Eastern Missouri.
“If we legalize [marijuana], more kids will be using it—we can’t ignore that,” said Duncan, the lone panelist against legalization of marijuana. “Part of me wishes I could say, ‘Let’s legalize it,' and everything would be fine. But there are things we can’t turn a blind eye to.”
Payne said enforcement of marijuana laws “has a fundamentally unjust impact on different races... Minorities still bear the brunt of cannabis prohibition.” Based on FBI statistics, African-Americans are 2.6 times more likely than Caucasians to be arrested for marijuana possession in Missouri. According to 2010 figures, African-Americans were 18.4 times more likely to be arrested for possession of marijuana than white residents in St. Louis.
Wiegert, who recently sued his department in hopes of continuing his lobbying efforts for Show-Me Cannabis, said changing times have led to the pursuit of marijuana arrests. “Older cops used to make fun of you when you arrested people for marijuana possession," he said. "Things have changed. There is no tolerance. Because of video recording [in police cars], you have to arrest people where we used to routinely let them go."
Wiegert drew a round of applause from some people in the audience when he said, “I see little old ladies getting knocked down and robbed. The person who does it is feeding a heroin, coke, or meth habit. No one is robbing little old ladies to get marijuana."
Pruitt said his chapter is more concerned with what happens after pot is legalized in a state. “It is already proven to bring in big money," he said. "As with any industry, it is hard [for minorities] to get into—what will be the real entry point?” He speculated that a lack of capital investment for African-American entrepreneurs who want to focus on research and other business opportunities that do not directly involve selling marijuana will leave a segment of the population behind.
“The law is really going to be hard on those that sell marijuana illegally in states where it is legal," he added. "We fear this will also have a disproportionate impact on black, young men.”
Wiegert said selective law enforcement, driven by political pressure, also leads to a disproportionate arrest rate. “Because of policies such as hot-spot policing, officers try to make as many arrests as possible in these areas to make the numbers look good,” he said. “Which ones do you make? Marijuana possession and desk warrants, because they are the easiest.”
Eight million Americans were arrested on marijuana charges between 2001 and 2010, Abdullah said, and 88 percent of those arrests were for possession. “White and black people use marijuana at just about the same rate," he said. "Yet there is a 4-to-1 difference in arrests.”
There has been a policy-making shift in some places, though. "People are seeing that arresting people at this rate is just not worth it," Abdullah said, adding that those in attendance should read the ACLU’s report on the financial waste in pursuing marijuana arrests and convictions.
Wiegert, who's a lobbyist for the Tea Party, said one of the organizations founding principles is fiscal responsibility. “It is not fiscally responsible to keep arresting all these people," he said. "We could use our resources better. We have a lot bigger issues than marijuana."
Quoting H.L. Menken, Payne said, “For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." Payne then added, "Cannabis prohibition is clear, simple, and wrong."
Duncan said changes were needed in laws, adding, "We’ve been trying to arrest our way out of drug problems, and it doesn’t work.” But he countered Payne, saying, “It is clear, simple, and wrong to legalize recreational use of marijuana.”
Medicinal use of marijuana “should not be discussed together” with legalization for recreational use, added Duncan. He rattled off a list of major professional organizations that stand against medical marijuana use, including the American Medical Association and American Cancer Society. “But they are also calling for more study," he said. "I think this decision should be based on science and not public-opinion polling." He suggested those in the audience visit the Smart Approach to Marijuana website.
The St. Louis Business Journal recently posted an unscientific poll online, asking, “Should Missouri legalize marijuana?” Sixty percent of the 1,400-plus respondents answered, “Yes, it should be treated like liquor and tobacco." Thirty-five percent replied, “No, we already have enough problems." And 4 percent voted, “We should wait to see if more states do it." (A similar poll in the Austin Business Journal, in Austin, Texas, revealed that 87 percent of respondents supported legalization in Texas.)
Of the five panelists, only Wiegert said he had never used marijuana. Both Payne and Wiegert said they would own or invest in a legal marijuana dispensary, while Duncan and Pruitt said they would not. Abdullah said he didn't know if he would.
Commentary by Alvin Reid
