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TAX AND REGULATE MARIJUANA TO END DRUG WAR

Dear Editor,

Regarding your April 14th editorial, "Sensationalism, distortions cloud marijuana debate" the drug war is largely a war on marijuana smokers.  In 2008, there were 847,863 marijuana arrests in the U.S., almost 90 percent for simple possession.  At a time when state and local governments are laying off police, firefighters and teachers, this country continues to spend enormous public resources criminalizing Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis.  The end result of this ongoing culture war is not necessarily lower rates of use.

The U.S.  has higher rates of marijuana use than the Netherlands, where marijuana is legally available.  An admitted former pot smoker, President Obama has thus far maintained the prohibition status quo rather than pursue real change.  Would Barack Obama be in White House right now if he had been convicted of a marijuana offense in his youth?

Decriminalization is a long overdue step in the right direction.  Taxing and regulating marijuana would render the drug war obsolete.  As long as marijuana distribution is controlled by organized crime, consumers will continue to come into contact with sellers of hard drugs like meth and heroin.  This "gateway" is a direct result of marijuana prohibition.

Robert Sharpe, MPA Policy Analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy