Pubdate: Fri, 30 Apr 2010 Source: Appeal-Democrat (Marysville, CA) Copyright: 2010 Appeal-Democrat Contact: http://www.appeal-democrat.com/sections/services/forms/editorletter.php Website: http://www.appeal-democrat.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1343 Author: Norm Stamper TRY DRUG ABUSE, PREVENTION As a former San Diego cop and police executive who presided over marijuana law enforcement for three decades, I was intrigued by Thomas Elias's attempt ("Legalized pot not a panacea," April 24) to show that the problems surrounding our marijuana laws do "not constitute a situation anything like (alcohol) Prohibition." In trying to articulate substantial differences between marijuana and alcohol prohibition, Elias dismisses obvious similarities - enormous tax-free profits and the boon to organized crime, among others - that are far more fundamental and relevant. His assertion that regulated marijuana "could bring to California the kind of drug wars that now plague Mexico and Colombia" is patently absurd. It flies in the face of the American experience after the end of alcohol prohibition. And it belies the contemporary experience of nations that have modernized their marijuana laws and achieved healthier, safer communities. Many law enforcement professionals understand that prohibition is the root cause of the most egregious social issues regarding marijuana. America's experience with alcohol prohibition is in fact a powerful reminder that no level of law enforcement will ever eradicate widely popular behavior that generates gargantuan, untaxed profits. It is time to divert those profits from drug cartels to legitimate channels, including drug abuse prevention and treatment. Norm Stamper Eastsound, Wash. Editor's note: Norm Stamper, a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, was a San Diego police officer for 28 years and served as Seattle's chief of police from 1994-2000. He is the author of "Breaking Rank: A Top Cop's Expose of the Dark Side of American Policing." - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake