Two weeks ago, Massachusetts residents voted strongly in favor of Question 2, also known as the Sensible Marijuana Policy Initiative, a measure that eliminates criminal penalties for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana. Similarly, Michigan voters passed Proposal 1, an initiative eliminating state penalties for registered use of medicinal marijuana.

These two measures have something very important in common: They are both inherently evil and threaten to destroy the American way of life. Federal law bans marijuana use and possession for a logical reason - because marijuana is bad. Through chronic misuse of clear democratic majorities, Massachusetts and Michigan threaten to undermine these federal statutes and interfere with one of the most well-reasoned and efficient enforcement strategies in our nation's history.

While some states surrender to the Illegal Pothead lobby, Pennsylvania remains firm in its convictions, denying any special recognition toward medicinal or any other form of marijuana use. With regard to our own University, the Division of Public Safety's crime log reports only one student-related marijuana incident since March of 2007. Taking this statistic on faith, it seems that Penn students almost never break the law and hence would never have any reason to lobby their state and federal representatives or start a local chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (ssdp.org).

The story behind the illegalization of cannabis sativa - marijuana - stands as a testament to the good judgment of our lawmakers. Realized in the age of Prohibition and championed by responsible journalist William Randolph Hearst, the movement saw a major success with the creation of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics in 1930, headed by crusader Harry Anslinger.

In pushing Congress to criminalize cannabis, Anslinger relied on sophisticated scientific reasoning. Wrote Anslinger, "There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the U.S, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music . [results] from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others." Furthermore, he added, "Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality and death . [and is] the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind."

Encouraged by the testimony of Anslinger, Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, which effectively rendered possession or transfer of cannabis illegal. Subsequent years have seen the emergence of mandatory sentencing and three-strikes laws concerning marijuana possession and - most importantly - the inauguration of the highly efficient War on Drugs.

According to records for the Office of National Drug Control Policy, roughly 20 billion taxpayer dollars were spent last year in federal anti-drug initiatives, in addition to another $30 billion leveraged by state and local governments. Naysayers are quick to point to statistics questioning the effectiveness of federal anti-drug initiatives, but they also fail to remember that drugs are evil. If the War on Drugs has been remiss in any way, Congress will remedy the problem the best way it knows how - by throwing more money at it.

With regard to prosecution of marijuana users, the War on Drugs has been happily successful. According to the FBI's annual crime report, 872,721 people were arrested last year on marijuana-related charges, 89 percent of whom on simple possession charges. This record of fearless enforcement means that 42 percent of all arrests stemming from the War on Drugs come from simple marijuana possession.

Sadly, some marijuana users still roam free. According to federal statistics, roughly 40 percent of American adults admit to having tried cannabis at least once. Until every last one of these criminals is caught and convicted, the mission of marijuana criminalization will remain disturbingly unfulfilled.

Proponents of marijuana decriminalization have counted the Massachusetts and Michigan initiatives as "steps in the right direction," and they make their case by contrasting federal attitudes toward cannabis with attitudes toward another similarly harmful drug - alcohol. These activists criticize the mass hysteria that first led to marijuana criminalization and bemoan the current system that spends billions of dollars prosecuting and jailing simple possession charges of an essentially low-risk drug.

Coincidentally, these proponents fail to mention that they also hate America. These decriminalization measures set a dangerous precedent of no longer blindly accepting federal statutes at face value. Unless federal lawmakers stand strong, our country may soon plunge into the depths of Reefer Madness - and be irrevocably eradicated from the face of the earth.

Emerson Brooking is a College sophomore from Turnerville, Ga. His e-mail address is brooking@dailypennsylvanian.com. He also enjoys writing satire. Southern Comfort runs on alternating Tuesdays.