Pubdate: Thu, 10 Oct 2002
Source: Washington Square News (NY Edu)
Copyright: 2002, Washington Square News
Contact:  http://www.nyunews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1621
Note:  also listed as a contact
Author: Jared Melnik
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1923/a11.html

MAKE DISTINCTION IN DRUG VIOLENCE

To the Editor:

I concur with columnist Charlie Beckerman's contention that marijuana users 
do share in the responsibility for the violence caused by the marijuana 
trade ("Dark side of the doob," Oct. 3). Unfortunately, this simple 
declaration fails to take the entire situation into account.

By not citing statistical evidence that distinguishes between types of 
marijuana-related violence, the article was just as propagandist as the 
advertisement that prompted it. Beckerman cites an advertisement from the 
Office of National Drug Control Policy featuring Carla, an innocent victim 
of marijuana-related violence. I agree it is convincing, but who could 
argue against protecting little girls from vicious drug dealers? Surely no 
one with a heart.

However, to paint all marijuana-related violence with Carla's brushstroke 
is as foolish as it is easy. Logically, we can classify marijuana-related 
violence into two categories: violence against those participating in the 
trade (dealers, suppliers, buyers), and violence against those not 
participating in the trade (Carla). Violence against the latter is 
obviously tragic. However, violence against the former should garner no 
sympathy. Those participating in an illegal trade accept the risks 
involved, and should not be compared to innocent girls hit by stray bullets.

Unfortunately, Beckerman does not make the distinction between these two 
kinds of victims. He paints all the violence with the brush of Carla, the 
innocent bystander. Even more unfortunately, he is not alone. After 
searching many drug-related sources, including the Drug Enforcement 
Administration and Office of National Drug Control Policy archives, I could 
find no data on drug-related violence distinguishing between the two 
categories, let alone any marijuana-specific information making the 
distinction. If you find any specific evidence about marijuana-related 
violence, please let me know. In the mean time, I would suspect that the 
majority of the victims of marijuana-related violence are those engaged in 
the trade. They are the targets. The bystanders are not. If Beckerman and 
the government wish to stop marijuana use by playing on people's 
sympathies, they had better have facts.

Jared Melnik
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