Pubdate: Thu, 17 May 2001
Source: Eau Claire Leader-Telegram (WI)
Copyright: 2001 Eau Claire Press
Contact:  http://www.leadertelegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/236
Author: Robert Sharpe

DRUG STRATEGY OUTDATED

Regarding the May 6 editorial on the use of drug-sniffing dogs in schools, 
alcohol kills more students every year than all illegal drugs combined.

The second most popular recreational drug, tobacco, is one of the most 
addictive substances known to man. Yet the drug dogs will primarily target 
marijuana, the third most popular recreational drug and arguably the safest.

Marijuana is not physically addictive and has never been shown to cause an 
overdose death. If health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural 
norms, marijuana would be legal.

Unfortunately, the marijuana plant continues to be confused with '60s 
counterculture by those who would like to turn the clock back to the 1950s. 
This intergenerational culture war does far more harm than marijuana.

As the most popular illegal drug, marijuana provides the black market 
contacts that introduce teen-agers to hard drugs like heroin. This 
"gateway" is the direct result of a fundamentally flawed policy. The drug 
war makes it easier for kids to buy pot than beer; drug dealers don't ID 
for age. 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 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 
are more important than the message. Opportunistic "tough on drugs" 
politicians would no doubt disagree.

Robert Sharpe
Program Officer
The Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation
Washington, D.C.
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MAP posted-by: Beth