Pubdate: Fri, 1 Oct 2010 Source: DrugSense Blog Website: http://drugsense.org/blog/ LETTER OF THE WEEK DRUG WAR HAS FAILED Though I don't agree with Debra J. Saunders on many issues, her writing consistently shows that she truly understands that the drug war and marijuana prohibition have failed and that these policies lead to real-life, devastating consequences. Saunders pokes holes in the opposition's arguments (including this newspaper's) that fear change, and she points out the hypocrisy and harm of keeping in place laws that don't work. She gets that Prop. 19 is the way out of this mess. It's the way to stop wasting tax dollars and resources on ineffective policies and to reduce the threat to public safety posed by cartels that the current prohibition enriches and empowers. Further, it's plain wrong to criminalize responsible, adult use of cannabis when it is arguably safer to use than alcohol and denies equal rights to good people who would prefer a toke over a drink. Marijuana is here to stay, and people are going to consume it, so taxing, controlling and regulating cannabis now is the sensible thing to do. So let's end marijuana prohibition and generate some revenue for the state in the process. Mikki Norris, El Cerrito Pubdate: Wed, 22 Sep 2010 Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA) Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n764/a05.html - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake