Pubdate: Wed, 19 Apr 2006
Source: Central Kentucky News Journal (Campbellsville, KY)
Copyright: 2006 Central Kentucky News Journal
Contact:  http://www.cknj.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1479
Author: Kirk Muse
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

CZECH REPUBLIC HAS BEST IDEA ON DRUGS

I'm writing about Editor Rebecca Dial  
column: "Sometimes an 'easy out' is the best way" (April 14, 2006).

It seems to me that to solve our nation's drug problems, we should 
model the drug policies of another nation with little or no drug 
problems. I suggest that we model the Czech Republic's drug policies.

The Czech Republic is the only nation in the world where adult 
citizens can legally use, possess and grow small quantities of 
marijuana. (In the Netherlands, marijuana is quasi-legal - not 
officially legal.)

The Czech overall drug arrest rate is 1 per 100,000 population. The 
United States' overall drug arrest rate is 585 per 100,000 population.

The Czech robbery rate is 2 per 100,000 population. The United 
States' robbery rate is 145.9 per 100,000 population, according to our FBI.

According to our drug war cheerleaders, tolerant marijuana laws cause 
people to use other, much more dangerous drugs, like meth and heroin.

Obviously, this doesn't happen in the Czech Republic. Why not? Could 
it be that when people can legally obtain marijuana at an affordable 
price, they tend not to use or desire any other recreational drugs?

Could it be that marijuana legalization actually creates a roadblock 
to hard drug use - not a gateway?

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman