Pubdate: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA) Copyright: 2009 Hearst Communications Inc. Contact: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/submissions/#1 Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n889/a08.html Author: Robert Sharpe UP IN SMOKE The drug war is largely a war on marijuana smokers. Last year there were 847,863 marijuana arrests in the U.S., almost 90 percent for simple possession. At a time when budget shortfalls are forcing state and local governments to lay off police, firefighters and teachers, this country continues to spend increasingly scarce public resources criminalizing Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis. The result of this culture war is not necessarily lower rates of use. The United States has higher rates of marijuana use than the Netherlands, where marijuana is legally available. An admitted former marijuana smoker, President Obama has thus far maintained the status quo rather than pursue change. Would Barack Obama be in White House if he had been convicted of a marijuana offense in his youth? Decriminalization is a long overdue step in the right direction. Robert Sharpe Arlington, Va. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake