Pubdate: Mon, 02 Dec 2013
Source: Times, The (Trenton, NJ)
Copyright: 2013 The Times
Contact:  http://www.nj.com/times/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/458
Author: Art Hohmuth

STOP THE HARM ILLEGAL POT IS DOING

I applaud the Rev. M. William Howard's opinion piece "Newark pastor: 
Why we should decriminalize marijuana" (nj.com, Nov. 17). He 
correctly points out the destructiveness, wastefulness, futility and 
racism that are at the heart of our drug laws and the way they are enforced.

The war on drugs has not reduced drug use, nor has it affected the 
price or purity of the drugs on the street. What it has done is waste 
enormous amounts of money, divert law-enforcement resources away from 
more serious problems and give criminal records to enormous numbers 
of young people, especially among minorities. These criminal records 
then stand in the way of employment and educational opportunity.

I am a 71-year-old man with a job I love, a nice home and a wonderful 
family with children and grandchildren. I also pay lots of taxes. It 
could have been different.

In my twenties and early thirties, I was a regular user of marijuana 
on weekends. I may have even sold some (at cost) to friends. It 
certainly did not make me an addict, nor did it interfere with my 
ability to pursue graduate study or establish my career. Alcohol 
abuse is a much greater detriment to one's productivity. But what if 
I had been arrested for my youthful indiscretions? Would I have 
gotten my first job? Would I have had opportunities to advance my 
career? Fortunately for me, middle-class white guys rarely get 
arrested for use.

There is now evidence from California that increased availability of 
marijuana has reduced alcohol consumption. This seems to me to be a 
good thing. Alcohol is far more deadly, in terms of traffic 
accidents, domestic abuse and health risks.

It is time to stop the madness.

- -- Art Hohmuth,

Princeton

The writer is a professor of psychology at The College of New Jersey.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom