Pubdate: Tue, 11 Mar 2014
Source: Cloverdale Reporter (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Cloverdale Reporter News
Contact:  http://www.cloverdalereporter.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3407
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n168/a05.html

TAXING POT MAKES SENSE

Re: "Prescription pretense ending"

Regarding Tom Fletcher's Feb. 12 column, not only should medical 
marijuana be made available to patients in need, but adult 
recreational use should be regulated too. Drug policies modeled after 
alcohol prohibition have given rise to a youth-oriented black market. 
Illegal drug dealers don't ID for age. 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 never-ending drug war failure. 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. Marijuana prohibition is a 
gateway drug policy.

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