Pubdate: Mon, 19 Jun 2006
Source: USA Today (US)
Copyright: 2006 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc
Contact:  http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/index.htm
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/466
Author: Robert Sharpe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone)
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n763/a07.html

TIME TO RETHINK DRUG-WAR PRIORITIES

As a parent of two young children, I found the article "Prescription 
drugs find place in teen culture" to be very disturbing (Cover story, 
News, Tuesday).

I have to wonder whether the perception that pharmaceutical drugs are 
safer is a direct result of the federal government's "reefer madness 
revisited" anti-drug campaign.

While organic marijuana is demonized at taxpayers' expense, more and 
more kids are taking potentially deadly pharmaceuticals, including 
synthetic heroin.

Has pot ever been shown to cause an overdose death? Certainly, the 
makers of aspirin or distributors of alcoholic beverages can't make 
such a claim.

Marijuana is arguably the safest recreational drug available, legal 
or otherwise. The war on marijuana is part of a larger culture war 
that should have ended with the Vietnam War.

If kids are finding it easier to purchase prescription OxyContin than 
marijuana, perhaps the federal government needs to rethink its 
drug-war priorities.

Robert Sharpe

Arlington, Va.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman