Pubdate: Tue, 14 Feb 2006
Source: Ponoka News (CN AB)
Copyright: 2006 Ponoka News
Contact:  http://www.ponokanews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3819
Author: Robert Sharpe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Note: Canadian Senate report link mentionned in letter not working. 
Try: http://www.juror.ca

REGULATE 'GATEWAY' DRUG

Dear Editor:

How should Alberta respond to the growing use of crystal 
methamphetamine? Here in the United States, New York City chose the 
zero tolerance approach during the crack epidemic of the eighties.

Meanwhile, Washington, DC Mayor Marion Barry was smoking crack and 
America's capital had the highest per capita murder rate in the 
nation. Yet crack use declined in both cities simultaneously. The 
decline was not due to a slick anti-drug advertising campaign or the 
passage of mandatory minimum sentencing laws. Simply put, the younger 
generation saw firsthand what crack was doing to their older siblings 
and decided for themselves that crack was bad news.

This is not to say nothing can be done about meth. Access to drug 
treatment is critical for the current generation of users. In order 
to protect future generations from hard drugs like meth, policymakers 
need to adopt the Canadian Senate's common sense proposal to tax and 
regulate marijuana. As long as marijuana distribution remains in the 
hands of organized crime, consumers will continue to come into 
contact with addictive drugs like meth.

This "gateway" is the direct result of a fundamentally flawed policy. 
Drug policy reform may send the wrong message to children, but I like 
to think the children are more important than the message.

The following U.S. Department of Justice research brief confirms my 
claims regarding the spontaneous decline of crack cocaine: 
http://www.ncjrs.org/txtfiles1/nij/187490.txt Canadian Senate report: 
http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/ille-e/rep-

Robert Sharpe, MPA

Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy - www.csdp.org

Washington, DC. 
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman