Pubdate: Tue, 7 Sep 2010 Source: Press Democrat, The (Santa Rosa, CA) Copyright: 2010 Robert Sharpe Contact: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/348 Author: Robert Sharpe Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n710/a03.html DRUG WAR AND CRIME EDITOR: The solution to the problem described in your Aug. 30 editorial ("Secret gardens") is marijuana legalization. Marijuana prohibition is the reason money grows on trees. Attempts to limit the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only increase the profitability of drug trafficking. For addictive drugs such as heroin, a spike in street prices leads desperate addicts to increase criminal activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime. Taxing and regulating marijuana, the most popular illicit drug, is a cost-effective alternative to never-ending drug war. As long as marijuana distribution is controlled by organized crime, consumers will continue to come into contact with hard drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct result of marijuana prohibition. Robert Sharpe Common Sense for Drug Policy Washington, D.C. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake