The first report of the National Commission on marihuana (1972): signal of misunderstanding or exercise in ambiguity.

INthe midst of the drug controversy in the United States at this time stands the first report of the National Commission on Marihuana."0 The media, prominent politicians, educators, and religious leaders have interpreted this report as conveying the sense that marihuana is harmless. Careful reading of this i84-page summary, which I shall heretofore refer to as the report, clearly indicates that the commission does not recommend the legalization of marihuana but does recommend substantial changes in federal law. Nonprofit private use and distribution of marihuana would be tolerated and public possession of i oz. or less of the substance would not be punishable. However, cultivating, selling, or distributing for profit would remain felonies. These recommendations of the commission have been largely interpreted as the first step toward elimination of all marihuana laws and the establishment throughout the United States of the licensing of sales. For instance, in its analysis of the report the Committee on Public Health of the New York Academy of Medicine recommends:'4 "that an appropriate agency of government investigate the feasibility of a system of government control of the distribution of marihuana." And an editorial of the New England Journal of Medicine has stated, "In the long run marihuana legalization appears to hold the greatest promise for effective and intelligent control of marihuana use."23 We believe, on the contrary, that the untoward social and medical effects of marihuana reported by the marihuana commission and in the