Pubdate: Fri, 11 Jan 2013
Source: Salem News (MA)
Copyright: 2013 Eagle Tribune Publishing Company
Contact: http://www.salemnews.com/contactus/local_story_015132129.html
Website: http://www.salemnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3466
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n012/a01.html

REGULATE ADULT MARIJUANA USE

To the editor:

Regarding your Jan. 4 editorial ("Citizens owed fast action on 
marijuana law"), not only should medical marijuana be made available 
to patients in need, but adult recreational use should be regulated. 
Drug policies modeled after alcohol prohibition have given rise to a 
youth-oriented black market. Illegal drug dealers don't ID for age, 
but they do recruit minors immune to adult sentences. So much for 
protecting the children.

Throwing more money at the problem is no solution. Attempts to limit 
the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only 
increase the profitability of drug trafficking. For addictive drugs 
like 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 the never-ending drug war. As long as 
marijuana distribution is controlled by organized crime, consumers 
will continue to come into contact with hard drugs like 
methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct 
result of marijuana prohibition.

Robert Sharpe

Policy analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, D.C.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom