Pubdate: Tue, 10 Feb 2015
Source: Taranaki Daily News (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2015 Fairfax New Zealand Limited
Contact:  http://www.thedailynews.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1056
Author: Robert Sharpe

DRUG SENSE

Not only should medical marijuana be made available to patients in 
need, but all adult use should be legal, taxed and regulated. Drug 
policies modelled 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.

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 cannabis, the most popular illicit drug, is a 
cost-effective alternative to a never-ending drug war. As long as 
cannabis distribution is controlled by organised crime, consumers 
will continue to come into contact with hard drugs like 
methamphetamine (P) and heroin.

Cannabis prohibition is a gateway drug policy.

Robert Sharpe, Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, DC United States of America
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