Pubdate: Mon, 28 May 2012
Source: San Francisco Examiner (CA)
Copyright: 2012 SF Newspaper Company LLC
Contact:  http://www.sfexaminer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/389
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n288/a06.html

CRACKDOWN AIDS CARTELS

Regarding your editorial ("California must clarify its murky medical 
pot laws," May 23), Mexican drug cartels are no doubt thrilled with 
the Obama administration's crackdown on voter-approved medical 
marijuana dispensaries. So much for change and 2008 campaign promises 
to respect states' rights. So much for jobs. The medical marijuana 
industry is one of the few job creators in the current down economy.

If Obama succeeds in destroying the domestic medical marijuana 
industry, international drug cartels will move in to meet demand and 
reap the profits. This is basic economics. As long as there is a 
demand for marijuana, there will be a supply. Replacing domestic 
growers with organized crime groups that also sell cocaine, meth and 
heroin is not necessarily a good thing.

Marijuana prohibition is a gateway drug policy.

Robert Sharpe Common Sense for Drug Policy Washington, D.C.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom