Pubdate: Mon, 18 Aug 2014
Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ)
Copyright: 2014 The Arizona Republic
Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html
Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: D. Ludwick
Page: A15

SOME MORE ARGUMENTS FOR LEGALIZING MARIJUANA

Republic editorial writer Linda Valdez, like many advocates of 
marijuana legalization, points to the increase in tax revenue 
("Colorado: Even the stoned can avoid taxes," blog, azcentral.com, Thursday).

Let me identify a few more arguments I think are more convincing to 
those undecided on the issue.

A recent ACLU report finds that in 2010, states spent $3.6 billion on 
law enforcement for arresting possessors of marijuana, diverting 
police from valuable areas of public safety. That same year, 20,291 
Americans were imprisoned solely for possessing marijuana. Throughout 
the previous decade, 7,295,880 were arrested for marijuana possession.

Studies (too many to list here) show that law enforcement has little 
effect on the usage and availability of marijuana. Surveys show that 
30 to 40 percent of Americans have tried marijuana. Bill Clinton and 
Jimmy Carter have criticized the War on Drugs.

Unlike a discussion of tax revenue, this is really about reducing 
spending and eliminating wasteful, inefficient laws.

- - D. Ludwick,

Phoenix
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom