Pubdate: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 Source: Storm Lake Pilot Tribune (IA) Copyright: 2002 Storm Lake Pilot Tribune Contact: http://www.zwire.com/site/News.cfm?brd=1304 Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2702 Author: Bruce Mirken Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n2298/a08.html RE-EXAMINE DRUG POLICY Storm Lake Public Safety Director Mark Prosser is either sadly misinformed or he is intentionally misleading the public about the effects of decriminalization of marijuana in Europe. Contrary to his claims, government-funded studies show that European countries that have decriminalized marijuana have consistently lower rates of both marijuana use and hard drug use than the U.S.. In the Netherlands, for example, sale and possession of small amounts of marijuana have been officially tolerated since the 1970s. According to the most recent figures, 20 percent of Dutch tenth graders have tried marijuana, compared to 37.8% in the U.S.. And separating marijuana from the hard drug trade has cut heroin use dramatically: In the Netherlands, 0.3 percent of the population has ever used heroin. In the U.S. it's 1.4 percent. As a society, we urgently need an honest, searching examination of our anti-drug policies. But it's hard to have an honest discussion when one side refuses to face the facts and consistently puts out disinformation. Bruce Mirken, Marijuana Policy Project, Washington D.C. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh