Pubdate: Sun, 19 May 2002 Source: Orlando Sentinel (FL) Copyright: 2002 Orlando Sentinel Contact: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/325 Authors: Robert Sharpe, Robert Sullivan HARSH LAWS DON'T DETER USE Regarding Christopher Mulligan's May 12 Insight article about the absurdity of Florida's war on marijuana smokers during an ongoing recession: There is no evidence that harsh laws deter marijuana use. Three-year mandatory minimums for certain marijuana offenses may sound good on paper, but, as a matter of practice, mandatory minimums are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents. Based on findings that criminal records do more harm than marijuana, a majority of European Union countries have decriminalized pot. Despite harsh penalties and perhaps because of forbidden-fruit appeal, lifetime use of marijuana is higher in the United States than in any European country. (The results of a comparative study of European and U.S. rates of drug use can be found at: http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/pubs/espad_pr.pdf) The war on some drugs has done little other than give rise to a massive prison-industrial complex. Decriminalization acknowledges the social reality of marijuana use and frees users from the life-shattering stigma of criminal records. What's really needed is a regulated market with enforceable age controls. Marijuana may be relatively harmless compared with alcohol -- pot 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 continue to come into contact with hard drugs like cocaine. ROBERT SHARPE Program Officer Drug Policy Alliance Washington, D.C. =============== STATE-IMPOSED AGGRESSION I applaud the Orlando Sentinel for publishing Christopher Mulligan's passionate and important article, "Despite ongoing recession in Florida, the state funds harsher marijuana laws." I propose that all the legislators who vote for keeping marijuana illegal should be required to answer, under sworn testimony, whether they've ever used the plant. If they admit to using it even one time in their lives, they should be required to pay the fine and/or do the time their laws mandate. Then let us see how long it takes to reverse these unconstitutional and life-destroying laws. Criminalizing marijuana use breeds hypocrisy in our leaders and ruins the lives of many citizens, especially the economically disadvantaged who can't afford expensive private legal defense. It's doubtful that anyone has ever died from smoking marijuana, yet many in power feel it necessary to continue this state-imposed aggression on a good portion of our population because of a relatively new idea in our American culture that "getting high" is criminal. What is truly criminal are these laws, laws that one day, I believe, will be seen as oppressive and unconstitutional. ROBERT SULLIVAN New Smyrna Beach - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFlorida)