Pubdate: Mon, 28 Jul 2014
Source: Daily Telegraph (Australia)
Copyright: 2014 News Limited
Contact: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/readers-comments
Website: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/113
Page: 20

LEGALISING MARIJUANA IS A SIGN OF THE TIMES

THE New York Times has called for the legalisation of marijuana,
comparing the nationwide ban on recreational cannabis use to
prohibition.

In an editorial on the weekend, the influential publication said
cannabis addiction and dependence were "relatively minor problems"
compared with alcohol and tobacco.

"It took 13 years for the US to come to its senses and end
prohibition, 13 years in which people kept drinking, otherwise
law-abiding citizens became criminals and crime syndicates arose and
flourished," the newspaper said.

"It has been more than 40 years since Congress passed the current ban
on marijuana, inflicting great harm on society just to prohibit a
substance far less dangerous than alcohol. The federal government
should repeal the ban on marijuana."

The editorial described the social cost of marijuana laws as "vast".
Citing FBI figures showing there were 658,000 arrests for marijuana
possession in 2012 - far higher than for cocaine and heroin - it said
"the result was racist, falling disproportionately on young black men".
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