University of Virginia Library

Farnsworth Predicts Abolition Of Present Marijuana Laws

By SAM BARNES

Abolition of present penalties against
marijuana possession may be in the
offing, according to Dana L. Farnsworth,
vice chairman of the National Committee
on Marijuana and Drug Abuse.

"A lot depends on the consensus of
opinion that develops among politicians
in the next year or two, "Mr. Farnsworth
explained in a lecture at the Medical
School Friday.

Mr. Farnsworth's committee
recommended to the President last week
that such action be undertaken by
Congress and the states.

"We want to take away the use control
of marijuana from the hands of the law
and put it into the hands of the good
sense of the people," he stated.

"We've got to put our priorities in
order and learn just what the minimum
restraints are that keep men free," Mr.
Farnsworth said.

Mr. Farnsworth, however, stressed that
his committee did not suggest the
legalization of marijuana distribution.

"That would be putting a stamp of
approval on its use," he said. "It would

almost certainly markedly increase the
amount consumed.

"We recommend that marijuana be
discouraged, when we get into banning
the use of things, however, we get into
repression" he added.

Considering the best means for
discouraging drug use, Mr. Farnsworth
said that public education on drugs is the
only adequate solution.

"People are the problems-not drugs,"
he stated.

Drug Control

"We cannot do without drugs-they can
be our servants, or we can be theirs. But
we can gain control if we want to," he
added.

Mr. Farnsworth pointed out that from
studies of drug epidemics at other times
in history, "there is no reason to think
that we can't control today's problem if
we simply put our minds to it."

"To solve our problem we must put
our professed ideas into action," he said.
"Reaching the people is the answer."

Mr. Farnsworth said that his
committee has recently published a
report on its study involving the
marijuana problem, including the
recommendation that marijuana
possession not be subject to penalty by
law.

"We admit that we may be wrong," he
said, "but before drug education can
begin on a large scale, a knowledge about
drugs should prelude the learning.

"We feel that the purpose of this
report is to obtain that knowledge," he
added.

According to Mr. Farnsworth the
committee's study included arguments
both for and against the legalization of
marijuana, and analysis of these points.

Also considered were the general
effects of marijuana on both short and
long term users.

Alcohol Substitute

The committee considered other
topics such as marijuana as a substitute
for alcohol, the possibility of marijuana
use leading to use of more dangerous
drugs and general methods of coping with
a personal drug problem.

Copies of the committee's report will
be available shortly from the United
States Printing Office in Washington.
Price will be one dollar per copy.