Pubdate: Wed, 24 Jul 2013
Source: Victoria News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Black Press
Contact: http://www.vicnews.com/contact_us/
Website: http://www.vicnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1267
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n344/a03.html

CURRENT DRUG POLICIES CLEARLY NOT WORKING

Re: Marijuana vote not a sure thing (Our View, July 17)

There is a big difference between condoning marijuana use and 
protecting children from drugs. Decriminalization acknowledges the 
social reality of marijuana and frees users from the stigma of 
life-shattering criminal records. What's really needed is a regulated 
market with age controls.

Separating the hard and soft drug markets is critical. As long as 
organized crime controls marijuana distribution, consumers will 
continue to come into contact with sellers of hard drugs like cocaine 
and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct result of marijuana prohibition.

Marijuana is less harmful than legal alcohol; the plant has never 
been shown to cause an overdose death.

It makes no sense to waste tax dollars on failed marijuana policies 
that finance organized crime and facilitate the use of hard drugs. 
Drug policy reform may send the wrong message to children, but I like 
to think the children are more important than the message.

Robert Sharpe, policy analyst,

Common Sense for Drug Policy

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