Pubdate: Thu, 07 Jul 2011 Source: Muskegon Chronicle, The (MI) Contact: http://www.mlive.com/mailforms/muchronicle/letters/index.ssf Copyright: 2011 The Muskegon Chronicle Website: http://www.mlive.com/muskegon/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1605 Author: Kirk Muse Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n434/a07.html MARIJUANA LAWS ARE NOT A DETERRENT I'm writing about Robert Sharpe's thoughtful July 3 letter, "Marijuana laws have failed as a deterrent." I'd like to add that not only do our marijuana laws fail to act as a deterrent, our marijuana laws substantially increase the desire for marijuana -- especially for young people. The lure of the forbidden fruit is very powerful. Why else do Americans use marijuana at twice the per capita rate of the Netherlands? In the Netherlands cannabis has been quasi legal for several decades. See the web site: www.drugwarfacts.org/thenethe.htm Kirk Muse Mesa, Ariz. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom