Pubdate: Sun, 31 Jan 2010
Source: Maui News, The (HI)
Copyright: 2010 The Maui News
Contact:  http://www.mauinews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2259
Author: Brian J. Murphy
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n063/a06.html?1224

MARIJUANA LAWS CREATE PROBLEMS

In responses to "Police chief against relaxing marijuana laws" (The 
Maui News, Jan. 22):

Every major study of the marijuana laws in the last 100 years has 
concluded that the only connection between marijuana and hard drugs 
is that they are both prohibited and, therefore, sold on the same black market.

The most recent study of the subject was the report by the U.S. 
Institute of Medicine on medical marijuana. It reported: Instead it 
is the legal status of marijuana that makes it a gateway drug.

In other words, the people who support prohibition are using the bad 
effects of prohibition as justification for prohibition. The 
conclusion of all the research is that we have a gateway drug policy. 
It is the laws that create the problem.

Brian J. Murphy

Paia
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart