Pubdate: Thu, 20 Dec 2001 Source: Union, The (CA) Copyright: 2001 Nevada County Publishing, Inc. Contact: http://www.theunion.com/index.html Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/957 Author: Robert Sharpe Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n2080/a01.html Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California) REGULATE, DON'T PROHIBIT, POT Hank Starr offered excellent advice in his Dec. 15 column on youth drug use. The importance of parental involvement in reducing adolescent drug use cannot be overstated. Starr is also right about supervised recreation. Extracurricular activities have been shown to reduce drug use. They keep kids busy during the hours they are most prone to getting into trouble. However, Starr is mistaken if he thinks zero tolerance drug laws are a good thing. Attempts to limit the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only increases the profitability of drug trafficking. The obscene profits to be made guarantee replacement dealers. In terms of addictive drugs like meth, a rise in street prices leads desperate addicts to increase criminal activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime. Taxing and regulating marijuana, the most popular illicit drug, is a cost-effective alternative to the $50 billion drug war. There is a big difference between condoning marijuana use and protecting children from drugs. Decriminalization acknowledges the social reality of marijuana use and frees users from the stigma of life-shattering criminal records. What's needed is a regulated market with enforceable age controls. Right now, kids have an easier time buying pot than beer. More disturbing is the manner in which marijuana's black market status exposes users to sellers of hard drugs. Marijuana may be relatively harmless compared to legal alcohol - the plant has never been shown to cause an overdose death - but marijuana prohibition is deadly. As long as marijuana distribution remains in the hands of organized crime, consumers will come into contact with hard drugs. In Europe, the Netherlands has successfully reduced overall drug use by replacing marijuana prohibition with regulation. Dutch rates of drug use are significantly lower than U.S. rates in every category. Separating the hard- and soft-drug markets and establishing enforceable age controls for marijuana has proven more effective than zero tolerance. Drug policy reform may send the wrong message to children, but I like to think the children themselves are more important than the message. Robert Sharpe, Program Officer Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation Washington, D.C. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager