Pubdate: Tue, 04 Oct 2005
Source: Arizona Daily Wildcat (AZ Edu)
Copyright: 2005 Arizona Daily Wildcat
Contact:  http://wildcat.arizona.edu/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/725
Author: Krissy Oechslin
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1571/a03.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

PROHIBITION OF MARIJUANA DOES MORE BAD THAN GOOD

David Schultz has the marijuana "legalization" issue exactly wrong ("Blame 
drug suppliers, not users"). Schultz blames violent drug cartels in South 
America for the problems associated with the marijuana trade, when in fact 
it is the system of prohibition that begets violence.

When a commodity is banned, those who supply it assume great risk, and 
basic economic principles dictate that high prices will follow. Under 
alcohol prohibition, prices skyrocketed and gangsters made their living 
selling moonshine in back alleys. The same conditions exist for marijuana 
today.

A system of marijuana "legalization," where the drug is regulated and taxed 
like alcohol or tobacco, would eliminate the profits that lure violent 
factions into the marijuana trade. Prohibition didn't work in the 1920s 
with alcohol, and it doesn't work today with marijuana.

Krissy Oechslin assistant director of communications Marijuana Policy Project 
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