Pubdate: Sat, 25 Aug 2001
Source: Blue Springs Examiner (MO)
Copyright: 2001 Blue Springs Examiner
Contact:  http://examiner.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/844
Author: Robert Sharpe

DRUG WAR HAS FAILED; TRY SOMETHING ELSE

To the editor:

The efforts of the Jackson County Drug Enforcement Task are no doubt well 
intended, but ultimately counterproductive. Attempts to limit the supply of 
illegal drugs while demand remains constant only increase the profitability 
of drug trafficking. In terms of addictive drugs like meth, a spike in 
street prices leads desperate addicts to increase criminal activity to feed 
desperate habits. Make no mistake: The drug war doesn't fight crime.

It fuels crime.

Rather that waste resources attempting to overcome immutable laws of supply 
and demand, policy makers should look to the lessons learned from America's 
disastrous experiment with alcohol prohibition. The thriving black market 
has no age controls that work to keep drugs out of the hands of children, 
making it easier for kids to buy pot than beer. There are pragmatic 
alternatives. The Netherlands has reduced overall drug use by replacing 
marijuana prohibition with regulation. Dutch rates of drug use are 
significantly lower than U.S. rates in every category.

Separating the hard and soft drug markets and establishing age controls for 
marijuana have proven more effective than zero tolerance.

Although marijuana is relatively harmless compared with alcohol, marijuana 
prohibition is deadly.

As the most popular illicit drug, marijuana provides the black market 
contacts that introduce youth to addictive drugs like meth. Taxing and 
regulating marijuana is a cost-effective alternative. Politicians need to 
stop worrying about the message that the drug policy reform sends to 
children and start thinking about the children themselves.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom