Pubdate: Thu, 24 Dec 2009
Source: Sacramento News & Review (CA)
Copyright: 2009 Chico Community Publishing, Inc.
Contact:  http://newsreview.com/sacto/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/540
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n1127/a07.html
Author: Robert Sharpe

POT SHOULDN'T JUST BE FOR PATIENTS

Re "How not to grow marijuana" by Skip Jones (SN&R Frontlines, December 17):

Not only should medical marijuana be made available to patients in 
need, but adult recreational use should be regulated. Drug policies 
modeled after alcohol prohibition have given rise to a youth-oriented 
black market. Illegal drug dealers don't ID for age, but they do 
recruit minors immune to adult sentences. So much for protecting the children.

Throwing more money at the problem is no solution. Attempts to limit 
the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only 
increase the profitability of trafficking. For addictive drugs like 
heroin, a spike in street prices leads desperate addicts to increase 
criminal activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war doesn't 
fight crime, it fuels crime.

Taxing and regulating marijuana, the most popular illicit drug, is a 
cost-effective alternative to never-ending drug war. As long as 
marijuana distribution remains in the hands of organized crime, 
consumers will continue to come into contact with hard drugs like 
methamphetamine. This "gateway" is a direct result of marijuana prohibition.

Robert Sharpe

policy analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom