Pubdate: Sat, 19 Jan 2013
Source: Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Copyright: 2013 John G. Chase
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/mVLAxQfA
Website: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/159
Author: John G. Chase
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n024/a03.html

DRUG WAR CULTURE

Regarding Kingsley Guy's column, "Time to re-think our war on
drugs:"

Yes, it is time. But culture changes slowly and the drug war is
embedded in America's culture. The place to start is to get patients
out of the drug war by legalizing marijuana as medicine. It won't be
perfect. There will be some leakage to people who just want to feel
good. But legal marijuana may have unintended benefits.

Researchers at universities in Colorado, Oregon and Montana have been
studying the states that have enacted medical marijuana laws since
1990.

They found that fatal accidents decreased 8 to 11 percent, with a
strong connection to reduced alcohol consumption. They also examined
the variables often credited for such decreases "" such as driver
training, speed limits, seat belt laws, legal drinking age and DUI
laws "" and found nothing significant.

If this pattern persists as more states legalize medical marijuana,
more Americans will reject the drug war culture.

John G. Chase, Palm Harbor
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D