Pubdate: Tue, 05 Nov 2013
Source: Day, The (New London,CT)
Copyright: 2013 The Day Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.theday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/293
Author: Robert Sharpe

ONLY SENSIBLE POLICY IS LEGALIZE, TAX POT

Regarding Dave Collins' Oct. 13 column, "Medical marijuana a growth
industry," not only should medical marijuana be made available to
patients in need, but adult recreational use should be regulated.

Drug policies modeled after alcohol prohibition have given rise to a
youth-oriented black market. Illegal drug dealers don't ID for age,
but they do recruit minors immune to adult sentences. So much for
protecting the children.

Throwing more money at the problem is no solution. Attempts to limit
the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only
increase the profitability of drug trafficking. For addictive drugs
like heroin, a spike in street prices leads desperate addicts to
increase criminal activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war
doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime.

Taxing and regulating marijuana, the most popular illicit drug, is a
cost-effective alternative to a never-ending drug war.

As long as marijuana distribution is controlled by organized crime,
consumers will continue to come into contact with hard drugs like
methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. Marijuana prohibition is a
gateway drug policy.

Robert Sharpe

Policy Analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy www.csdp.org
Washington, DC
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