Pubdate: Wed, 07 Feb 2007
Source: Journal Argus (CN ON)
Copyright: 2007 Journal Argus
Contact:  http://www.stmarys.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2197
Author: Robert Sharpe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

METH WARRANTS POLICY CHANGES

Dear Editor;

How should St. Marys respond to illicit methamphetamine use? Here in 
the United States, New York City chose the zero tolerance approach 
during the crack epidemic of the eighties.

Meanwhile, Washington, DC Mayor Marion Barry was smoking crack and 
America's capital had the highest per capita murder rate in the 
country. Yet crack use declined in both cities simultaneously. The 
decline was not due to a slick anti-drug advertising campaign or the 
passage of mandatory minimum sentencing laws. Simply put, the younger 
generation saw firsthand what crack was doing to their older siblings 
and decided for themselves that crack was bad news.

This is not to say nothing can be done about methamphetamine. Access 
to drug treatment is critical for the current generation of users. To 
protect future generations from hard drugs like meth, policymakers 
need to adopt the Canadian Senate's common sense proposal to tax and 
regulate marijuana. As long as marijuana distribution remains in the 
hands of organized crime, consumers will continue to come into 
contact with addictive drugs like meth. This "gateway" is the direct 
result of a fundamentally flawed policy. Drug policy reform may send 
the wrong message to children, but I like to think the children are 
more important than the message.

This U.S. Department of Justice research brief confirms my claims 
regarding the spontaneous decline of crack cocaine: 
www.ncjrs.org/txtfiles1/nij/187490.txt; also see this Canadian Senate 
report: 
www.parl.gc.ca/common/Committee-SenRep.asp?Language=E&Parl7&Ses=1&comm-id .

Sincerely,

Robert Sharpe, MPA

Policy Analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, DC
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman