Pubdate: Wed, 05 Aug 2015
Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)
Copyright: 2015 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.utsandiego.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/386
Note: Seldom prints LTEs from outside it's circulation area.
Author: Salvatore Scafidi

ARGUMENT AGAINST POT DOES NOT HOLD UP

Do David Murray and John Walters ("Marijuana legalization movement 
makes no sense," Aug. 1) advocate a return to alcohol prohibition?

Nowhere do they cite historical data comparing the rates of violent 
crime before, during and after prohibition, nor do they compare the 
base rates of alcohol consumption in those same periods.

They predict legalization of marijuana will result in an explosion in 
its use and a staggering increase in the cost of the "disease 
burden," while ignoring the costs of imprisoning 1 percent of the population.

Murray and Walters discount the gist of the legalization argument, 
which is that legalization will make the drug trade unprofitable to 
criminal cartels.

Seizing minor amounts of drugs and incarcerating small fry are 
expensive, ineffective and fundamentally destructive tactics.

Salvatore Scafidi

San Diego
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom