( CNN ) -- It 's becoming a cliché : The tide is turning in the debate over cannabis . Sanjay Gupta , CNN 's chief medical correspondent , publicly reversed his position and now supports medical cannabis . Republican Gov . Chris Christie just expanded New Jersey 's medicinal marijuana laws . In the past month , New Hampshire and Illinois have become the 19th and 20th states to approve medical marijuana . But the debate over medical marijuana obscures the more fundamental issue of our failed war on pot and the path to smart legalization . I had an opportunity to explore the full range of perspectives in the marijuana debate at the recent 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association . What I learned can be simply stated : Nationwide cannabis legalization is coming and smart regulation is the key to its success . At the convention , held in San Francisco , I listened to and spoke with respected leaders of the opposition to cannabis legalization , who are mostly specialized in the treatment of substance use disorders . The Bay Area is a proving ground for California 's liberal medical marijuana laws . Amanda Reiman , policy manager for the California branch of the pro-legalization Drug Policy Alliance , took me on a tour of local cannabis dispensaries . And Oaksterdam University invited me to speak at their makeshift headquarters -- their previous location was closed after a DEA raid last year -- where classes are offered on all things cannabis . The dispensaries are largely self-regulated , yet all facilities are immaculate , security is tight , and members of the staff are knowledgeable about the science of cannabis . Surely not all points of access are as well-run as these dispensaries , but they could be . And only with legalization and regulation can we expect that they would be . Most legalization advocates and opponents share concerns about underage pot use , an opposition to incarcerating users , and a recognition that marijuana is less harmful to adults than alcohol . Opinion : Americans agree , pot is no crime . Most agree public opinion has shifted in favor of cannabis legalization , although the two groups have strongly divergent feelings about the change . A minority of advocates call for America to `` free the weed '' with few restrictions , while opponents at the American Psychiatric Association fear that legalization would lead to `` a nation of drunken stoners '' after an anticipated rise in adolescent use of this and other drugs . The substance abuse treatment community has legitimate concerns , and recreational cannabis should not be legalized -- for minors . If national polls are correct , and wisdom prevails , then America is rapidly moving toward legal cannabis for adults . We must stop arguing about the right of consenting adults to consume a relatively safe recreational drug , and discuss how -- rather than whether -- cannabis should be properly regulated by the federal government . First , consider the four essential goals of marijuana regulation : keeping cannabis out of the hands of minors ; reducing harm to adult users ; preventing collateral harm to the public and getting the maximum economic benefit from legalization . Our approach to federal regulation should synthesize the perspectives of both advocates and opponents of legalization . We should look to research on laws controlling alcohol , tobacco and gambling . We can also learn from Colorado and Washington , which have developed regulations for recreational cannabis , and the 18 other states -- plus the District of Columbia -- that have legalized medical marijuana . We can achieve the essential goals of regulation if we : . • Require proper labeling of cannabis products , including the quantities of key ingredients like THC and CBD . • Test cannabis products for contaminants and label accuracy . • Require government supervision of all facilities involved in the production , distribution and sale of cannabis . • Limit advertising , sales and public consumption of cannabis products the way we do with alcohol and/or tobacco . • Ban cannabis packaging and advertising that targets or attracts underage users . • Require child-resistant packaging for edible cannabis products . • Impose penalties on adults who enable minors to get marijuana . • Allow adults to grow a small number of cannabis plants for personal use . • Prosecute cannabis-impaired driving with field sobriety tests . • Continue restrictions on cannabis use by professionals and laborers when scientific evidence indicates that such use risks public safety . • Empower states and municipalities to restrict the cannabis trade within their borders . • Fund education of adults about the use and abuse of cannabis . • Fund preventive youth education about the dangers of underage cannabis use . • Fund treatment of adults and minors with cannabis use disorders . • Tax all aspects of the cannabis trade at the highest rate that the free market will bear , using a portion of the proceeds to fund regulation , education and treatment . Just as responsible fishermen support the conservation of marine ecosystems , even marijuana enthusiasts can offer smart ideas for the successful legalization of cannabis , the fiercest critics of pot legalization have legitimate concerns , particularly about pot 's effects on developing brains of young people . Advocates and opponents need to come together for an open-minded discussion about the regulation of marijuana in the United States . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Nathan .
David Nathan : Medical marijuana debate obscures the issue of legalizing recreational use . In legalizing pot , he says , concerns of both sides of the issue need to be considered . Nathan : Goals are to keep it out of the hands of minors , reduce harm to adults , get revenue . But there's a lot more at stake than that.