Teens: Legalize marijuana, put cameras on officers

By Angela Maxine Rivera

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014 | 2 a.m.

About 1,000 students from high schools throughout Southern Nevada participated in the 58th annual Sun Youth Forum on Nov. 13. The students were divided into groups to discuss a variety of topics. A representative was chosen from each group to write a column about the students’ findings. This essay addresses the issues covered by the group Law and Crime.

During the Sun Youth Forum, students gathered at the Las Vegas Convention Center to discuss the most current and controversial topics, ranging from local to global. The spectrum of discussion included topics such as Around the World, Teen Topics, and Law and Crime. In one of the rooms dedicated to Law and Crime, issues including the legalization of marijuana and the use of body cameras for police officers were notable topics that sparked passionate debate.

The controversy regarding the legalization of marijuana either medically and/or recreationally has become a topic of interest nationwide, and students felt strongly about it.

Despite minor disagreements on the degree of regulation, the consensus in the room was that medical marijuana should continue to be legal in Nevada. Is it beneficial for the state? Medically, yes, because a medical marijuana license would be approved by a doctor, someone who is licensed to know doses and effects of any drug given to treat patients.

The students who agreed with the legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana stressed the economic benefit of assessing the same high tax as there is in Colorado, which commercialized marijuana in 2009 and legalized it in 2012. Jeffrey Miron, a senior lecturer in Harvard University’s economics department, suggests the best approach to realize the full potential of marijuana is to change the law and remove marijuana from the list of drugs in the federal law that governs prohibition.

Tax policies still would apply to legalized marijuana, and Nevada most likely would adopt marijuana-specific regulations like those for alcohol, such as the minimum age to purchase and governed areas of restriction, such as drug-free school zones.

Las Vegas tourism also would reap the benefits, adding to its infamous, anything-goes appeal. It is another trick in the sleeve of Lady Luck.

Students also discussed body cameras for police officers, which are being used in a trial program by Metro Police. This is a voluntary program now, but students believe this may be beneficial to eventually implement throughout the department. No evidence suggests the police are hindered in any way by wearing body cameras during duty hours, and because officers are paid for by tax dollars, students believe taxpayers have a right to know what officers are doing during the time of active duty in the field.

However, it may cause infringement on someone who wishes not to be recorded during an interaction with a police officer. The real use of the cameras would shine in moments of criminal pursuit — protecting both the suspect and police officer, ensuring safety and justice for both parties.

Another challenge is finding the adequate funding for the cameras. A project such as this one takes funding that most police departments do not have, which makes the slow implementation and trial more appealing both economically and socially.

The bottom line at the Youth Forum is that young people are well aware of the issues at hand, contrary to popular belief. The peculiar thing is that this group was willing to step up to the challenge and take action to provide viable solutions by directly addressing complex matters, a concept foreign in today’s politics.

These debates provided positive feedback and insight on the powerful potential students have when they’re given a chance to speak up.

Angela Maxine Rivera is a senior at Advanced Technologies Academy.