Pubdate: Tue, 19 May 2015
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2015 The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: Robert Sharpe
Page: A10
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n275/a04.html?1090

ANTI-REEFER MADNESS

Margaret Wente is right about marijuana prohibition being a bust in 
Canada (In The Weeds - Focus, May 16). Now that neighbouring U.S. 
states have legalized marijuana, Ottawa can no longer claim that 
Canada must uphold prohibition in order to maintain good diplomatic 
relations. Consider the U.S. experience: almost double the lifetime 
rate of marijuana use as the Netherlands, where marijuana has been 
legally available for decades. If the goal is to deter use,marijuana 
prohibition is a catastrophic failure.

On the other hand, if the goal is to subsidize violent drug cartels 
and open a gateway to the hard drugs they sell, marijuana prohibition 
is a grand success. The drug war distorts supply and demand dynamics 
so that big money grows on little trees. It's time to stop the 
pointless arrests and tax legal marijuana instead.

Robert Sharpe, policy analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy, Washington
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom