Pubdate: Wed, 27 May 2009
Source: Christian Science Monitor (US)
Copyright: 2009 The Christian Science Publishing Society
Contact: http://www.csmonitor.com/cgi-bin/encryptmail.pl?ID=CFF0C5E4
Website: http://www.csmonitor.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/83
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n555/a03.html
Author: Theodore S. Arrington, PhD

REASONS TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

OK, so marijuana isn't harmless and legalization would bring on some
knotty problems. But we have to admit that the "war on drugs" is over.
Drugs won.

Prohibition did not work. Since it ended, the per capita consumption
of alcohol has decreased with great regularity. Ditto for the
consumption of legal tobacco products. Yet the demand for illegal
drugs seems boundless.

We need to stop considering those who use drugs to be criminals and
start treating them as sick individuals who need treatment. We need to
control the market for drugs in order to put the drug gangs out of
business. The illegal drug culture, like the illegal alcohol culture
during the Prohibition era, is a major source of corruption in the US,
as well as other countries. Enough already!

Theodore S. Arrington, PhD

Davidson, N.C.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake