NY Times debates "Is ‘Big Marijuana’ Inevitable?"

I am intrigued and pleased to see that the Room for Debate section of the New York Times has gathered some of the leading advocates in the marijuana reform debate to discuss whether and how marijuana reform ought to proceed. Here is the section's set up:

It looks like the use of recreational marijuana is heading down the path of legalization across the country. Voters in Alaska, Oregon and the District of Columbia approved legalizing measures on Nov. 4, but with key differences. The District of Columbia, for instance, will repeal all criminal and civil penalties for personal possession and allow limited, private cultivation of the drug. Oregon on the other hand would give its Liquor Control Commission the power to regulate marijuana as it does alcohol.

Some say a profit-driven model for legalization runs the risk of increasing marijuana use, while others argue that a regulated market is the best way to keep use safe for consumers. What’s the right approach to legalizing recreational marijuana?

Here are the contributions, with links via the commentary titles:

• Legalization Doesn’t Have to Lead to Commercialization by Mark A. R. Kleiman

• Racial Justice at the Core of the Movement by Malik Burnett

• A Market Will Benefit Consumers and Society by Steve Fox

• A Gateway to Profits by Kevin A. Sabet