Pubdate: Sun, 23 Mar 2014
Source: Tri-County Times (Fenton, MI)
Copyright: 2014sTri-County Times
Contact: http://www.tctimes.com/forms/letters/
Website: http://www.tctimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5188
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n181/a10.html

LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

Dear Editor,

This is in response to Judge Mark McCabe's Feb. 19 column. 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. 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 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.

Sincerely, Robert Sharpe, MPA Policy Analyst Common Sense for Drug 
Policy www.csdp.org
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom