Pubdate: Sat, 22 Jun 2019
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2019 The New York Times Company
Website: http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Paul Armentano
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v19/n007/a04.html

REGULATE MARIJUANA SALES

Re "Marijuana Damages Young Brains," by Kenneth L. Davis and Mary
Jeanne Kreek (Op-Ed, June 17):

No one is advocating that young people either consume or have ready
access to cannabis. In fact, it is precisely because marijuana use may
pose potential risks to certain consumers - for example, adolescents
or people with a family history of psychiatric illness - that NORML
believes that lawmakers should regulate it accordingly.

These regulations should include age restrictions, prohibitions on the
unlicensed commercial production or retail sale of the plant and
rational limits with regard to product marketing.

A pragmatic regulatory framework that allows for the legal, licensed
commercial production and retail sale of marijuana to adults but
restricts and discourages its use among young people - coupled with a
legal environment that fosters open, honest dialogue between parents
and children about marijuana's effects - best reduces the risks
associated with the plant's use or abuse.

By contrast, advocating marijuana's continued criminalization only
compounds those risks.

Paul Armentano

Washington

The writer is deputy director of NORML, the National Organization for
the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
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MAP posted-by: Matt