Pubdate: Mon, 22 May 2006
Source: Times, The (Trenton, NJ)
Copyright: 2006 The Times
Contact:  http://www.nj.com/times/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/458
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n620/a01.html

GOING TO POT

Regarding The Times' editorial, "Medical pot will get a hearing" (May
15), if health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural
norms, marijuana would be legal. Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never
been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive
properties of tobacco. Marijuana can be harmful if abused, but jail
cells are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as
deterrents.

Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages have been
counterproductive at best. By raiding voter-approved medical marijuana
providers in California, the very same U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration that claims that illicit drug use funds terrorism is
forcing cancer and AIDS patients into the hands of street dealers.
Apparently marijuana prohibition is more important than protecting the
country from terrorism.

ROBERT SHARPE, MPA

Washington, D.C.

The writer is a policy analyst for Common Sense for Drug Policy, a
nonprofit organization dedicated to reforming drug policy and
expanding harm reduction.
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MAP posted-by: Derek