Pubdate: Tue, 30 Oct 2001 Source: Scotsman (UK) Copyright: The Scotsman Publications Ltd 2001 Contact: http://www.scotsman.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/406 Authors: Robert Sharpe, Myron Von Hollingsworth GATEWAY POLICY There is a big difference between condoning cannabis use, and protecting children from drugs. Decriminalisation acknowledges the social reality of cannabis use, and frees users from the stigma of life-shattering criminal records. What is needed is a regulated market with age controls. Now, children have an easier time buying cannabis than beer. Although cannabis is relatively harmless compared to most legal drugs, cannabis prohibition is deadly. As the most popular illicit drug, it provides the black market contacts that introduce youth to addictive drugs like heroin. Current drug policy is a gateway policy. David Blunkett's reclassification of cannabis is a step in the right direction. Hopefully, the common sense coming out of Britain will rub off on the US. ROBERT SHARPE Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington DC, USA The (unseen) driving force against medical (or unrestricted adult) legalisation of cannabis is the fact that it can't be patented, which precludes the need for big business to be involved. That fact makes it commercially unattractive to the pharmaceutical, tobacco and alcohol industries (lobbies). MYRON VON HOLLINGSWORTH Malvey Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas, USA - --- MAP posted-by: Rebel