Pubdate: Wed, 12 Dec 2012
Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA)
Copyright: 2012 Robert Sharpe
Contact: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/submitletters
Website: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/394
Author: Robert Sharpe

POT PROHIBITION A FAILURE

The voters of Colorado and Washington state have made it clear the
federal government can no longer get away with confusing the drug
war's collateral damage with a comparatively harmless plant. If the
goal of marijuana prohibition is to subsidize violent drug cartels,
prohibition is a success. The drug war distorts supply and demand
dynamics so that big money grows on little trees.

If the goal of marijuana prohibition is to deter use, prohibition is a
failure. The United States has double the rate of marijuana use as the
Netherlands, where marijuana is legal. The criminalization of
Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis has no basis in science.
The war on marijuana consumers is a failed cultural inquisition, not
an evidence-based public health campaign.

Robert Sharpe, Arlington, Va.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D