Pubdate: Sun, 26 Feb 2006
Source: Daily News Transcript (Needham, MA)
Copyright: 2006 Daily News Transcript
Contact:  http://www.dailynewstranscript.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3501
Author:  Robert Sharpe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

DRUG POLICY FINANCES CRIME

Regarding Rick Holmes' thoughtful column ("40 years of reefer 
madness,"  Feb. 19), there is a big difference between condoning 
marijuana use and protecting children from drugs. Decriminalization 
acknowledges the social  reality of marijuana and frees users from 
the stigma of life-shattering criminal  records. What's 
really  needed is a regulated market with age controls. Separating 
the hard and soft drug markets is critical. As long as marijuana 
distribution remains in the hands  of organized crime, consumers will 
continue to come into contact with sellers of  hard drugs like heroin.

This "gateway" is  the direct result of a fundamentally flawed 
policy. Given that marijuana is  arguably safer than legal alcohol -- 
the plant has never been shown to cause an  overdose death -- it 
makes no sense to waste tax dollars on failed policies that  finance 
organized crime and facilitate the use of hard drugs.

Drug policy reform  may send the wrong message to children, but I 
like to think the children are  more important than the message.

Robert Sharpe
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman