Pubdate: Mon, 14 Nov 2005
Source: University News (U of MO, Kansas City, Edu)
Copyright: 2005 University News
Contact: http://www.unews.com/main.cfm?include=submit
Website: http://www.unews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2780
Author: Kirk Muse
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?233 (LEAP)
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1730/a03.html?227644

LAW ENFORCEMENT GROUP SEEKS DRUG LEGALIZATION

I'm writing about "Law enforcement group seeds drug legalization" 
[University News, Oct. 31, 2005].

I'd like to add if tough-on-drugs policies worked, the quixotic goal of a 
drug free America would have been reached a long time ago.And if tolerant 
drug policies created more drug use, the Netherlands would have much higher 
drug usage rates than the United States.

They do not. In fact, the Dutch use marijuana and other recreational drugs 
at much lower rates than Americans do. See the Web site: 
http://www.drugwarfacts.org/thenethe.htm.

If tolerant drug policies caused more overall crime, especially violent 
crime, the Dutch would have much higher crime rates than the United States. 
They do not. The Dutch murder rate is less than one-third the U.S. per 
capita murder rate, and their rate of incarceration is about one-seventh 
the U.S. incarceration rate. In the Netherlands, marijuana is sold to 
adults without criminal sanctions in coffee shops.

In the United States, marijuana is sold by criminals who often sell other, 
much more dangerous drugs. They often offer free samples of the more 
dangerous drugs to their marijuana customers--thus creating the gateway effect.

Legalize, regulate and control the sale of marijuana and we close the gateway.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom