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RESPONSIBLE MARIJUANA LEGISLATION CAN BE MADE, WOULD SOLVE PROBLEMS

Regarding Pat Doyle's March 25 column, if health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms, marijuana would be legal.  Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. 

Marijuana can be harmful if abused, but jail cells are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents. 

The first marijuana laws were enacted in response to Mexican immigration during the early 1900s, despite opposition from the American Medical Association. 

Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages have been counterproductive at best.  White Americans did not even begin to smoke pot until a soon-to-be entrenched federal bureaucracy began funding reefer madness propaganda.  Marijuana prohibition has failed miserably as a deterrent. 

The U.S.  has higher rates of marijuana use than the Netherlands, where marijuana is legally available to adults over 18.  Students who want to help end the intergenerational culture war otherwise known as the war on some drugs should contact students for sensible drug policy at www.schoolsnotprisons.com

* United Nations drug stats: http://www.unodc.org/

* Comparative analysis of U.S.  vs.  Dutch rates of drug use: http://www.drugwarfacts.org/thenethe.htm

* Virginia law review article that provides a good overview of the cultural roots of marijuana legislation: http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/vlr/vlrtoc.htm

Sincerely, Robert Sharpe MPA, Policy Analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy www.csdp.org