Pubdate: Fri, 30 Nov 2012
Source: Oklahoman, The (OK)
Copyright: 2012 The Oklahoma Publishing Co.
Contact: http://www.newsok.com/voices/guidelines
Website: http://newsok.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/318
Author: Robert Sharpe

TIME TO END MARIJUANA PROHIBITION

The voters of Colorado and Washington have made it clear the federal
government can no longer get away with confusing the drug war's
collateral damage with a comparatively harmless plant. If the goal of
marijuana prohibition is to subsidize violent drug cartels,
prohibition is a success. The drug war distorts supply and demand
dynamics so that big money grows on little trees.

If the goal of marijuana prohibition is to deter use, prohibition is a
failure. The United States has double the rate of use as the
Netherlands, where marijuana is legally available. The criminalization
of Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis has no basis in science.
The war on marijuana consumers is a failed cultural inquisition, not
an evidence-based public health campaign. It's time to stop the
arrests and end marijuana prohibition.

Robert Sharpe, Arlington, Va. Sharpe is policy analyst for Common
Sense for Drug Policy in Washington, D.C.(www.csdp.org).
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