Pubdate: Thu, 20 Jun 2013
Source: Pocono Record, The (Stroudsburg, PA)
Copyright: 2013 Pocono Mountains Media Group
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/PEKmDRjJ
Website: http://www.poconorecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4529
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n246/a02.html

DRUG DECRIMINALIZATION IS IN ORDER FOR THE U.S.

Editor, the Record:

Regarding Jess Hunter-Bowman's June 3 op-ed, the drug war is largely 
a war on marijuana smokers. In 2011, there were 757,969 marijuana 
arrests in the United States, almost 90 percent for simple 
possession. At a time when state and local governments are laying off 
police, firefighters and teachers, this country wastes resources 
criminalizing Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis. The end 
result is not lower rates of use.

The United States has higher rates of marijuana use than the 
Netherlands, where marijuana is legal. Decriminalization is a step in 
the right direction. Legalizing marijuana would render the drug war 
obsolete. As long as violent drug cartels control marijuana 
distribution, consumers will continue to come into contact with 
sellers of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. Marijuana prohibition 
is a gateway drug policy. The plant itself is comparatively harmless. 
Marijuana prohibition is deadly.

ROBERT SHARPE

Policy analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom