Israel Police Chief Yochanan Danino on Wednesday 24 Iyar appeared as a guest of Beit Shemesh Mayor Moshe Abutbul in a city school, speaking with 16-year-old students and answering questions.
The police chief took his audience by surprise when he announced he believes the time has come to reevaluate the policy regarding smoking marijuana, indicating he believes the time may have tome to legitimize soft drugs.
Danino added that he has been discussing the matter with the police chief of Amsterdam and other departments around the world to see how other countries are addressing the marijuana issue. He added that there is a growing public discussion over the possibility of legalizing marijuana as well as a significant increase in the number of prescriptions written for medical marijuana. He feels it is time to contemplate reevaluation the state’s position on marijuana for private use.
Tzvi Hendel, who heads Israel authority to combat substance and alcohol abuse stated “Such comments should not be made by a law enforcement officer, yet alone the chief of the department. Marijuana is a dangerous drug and places users at risk, especially youths below the age of 25”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
It is not the place of the Israel Police Chief to have a public opinion on this issue. His job is to enforce the law: period. He should either stand down immediately or be sacked. Once he takes off his uniform, he can espouse whatever opinion he likes.
Tsvi Hendel should be replaced promptly because he really has no idea what’s going on. Marijuana is harmless and even beneficial. Israel is a leader in medical research and use of marijuana.
The pleasing physical state it induces brings out laughter and joy. In addition it sharpens perception of beauty especially in nature and music. Food is also more tastey. The CNN documentary “Cannabis Madness: Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports” documents a study which shows that even driving a car is safe if a person is acclimated to the affects of the plant. From a religous standpoint a person under its influence is more conscous of the existance of G-d and the uniqueness of the soul. It also brings out the emotions of tolerance, humility, and love.
It is a serious mistake to criminalize vice. The USA experiment in Prohibition showed how disastrous it can be. What happens is that billions of dollars flows into the hands of vicious criminals. They then use the money to corrupt the political and justice systems in order to protect their income. The end result is a nation controlled by criminals.
Nearly all of the damage done by the use of drugs or other outlawed vices is a result of the activity being illegal and not the action itself. Drug addicts turn to crime to support their addiction because the drugs are illegal and therefore cost ten to one hundred times their real value. That’s right. If drugs were legal, like alcohol or tobacco, the costs would be similar and there would be no need for the vast majority of users to steal to buy them.
Furthermore, the argument that we need to protect people against themselves is arrogant and manipulative. It is also selective. Sky diving is legal as is hockey, scuba diving and hundreds of inherently dangerous activities. Only when it comes to activities or products that produce billions of dollars in cash to criminals are the politicians suddenly filled with moral enthusiasm. I wonder why?
A discussion about legalizing this low-life, dangerous substance does not belong in Eretz HaKodesh, and Am HaKodesh should not be partaking of it.