Pubdate: Tue, 25 Feb 2014
Source: Times Herald, The (Port Huron, MI)
Copyright: 2014 The Times Herald
Contact: http://www.thetimesherald.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.thetimesherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2570
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n178/a10.html

RECREATIONAL POT SHOULD BE LEGALIZED

Regarding the Feb. 18 Times Herald editorial, "Medical pot statute
still needs work," 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
increases the profitability of drug trafficking.

For addictive drugs such as 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 the nation's 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.

This "gateway" is a direct result of marijuana prohibition.

ROBERT SHARPE

Policy Analyst
Common Sense for Drug Policy
www.csdp.org
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MAP posted-by: Matt