Pubdate: Sun, 03 Jan 2016 Source: Washington Post (DC) Copyright: 2016 The Washington Post Company Contact: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/491 Author: Lawrence Schwartz Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n729/a05.html STOPPING ILLEGAL DRUG USE ISN'T SO EASY Danielle Allen argued that the successful anti-tobacco approach would solve the illicit drug problem. I amnot convinced. Legalizing and controlling marijuana for recreational use follows the tobacco model. But in states that have legalized marijuana, businesses promote marijuana, and thatmay increase its use rather than reduce it. Decriminalizing hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine is useful but falls short of solving this problem. On the positive side, it would help addicts get treatment rather than jail time. But Ms. Allen assumed that such treatment programs would dry up the demand for hard drugs. This may not be the case with new addicts coming along, despite antidrug campaigns. The demand for illicit drugs is stable, as is the supply. Illicit drug cartels make sure that the supply is just adequate to keep the price stable. And law enforcement agencies have only interdicted about 10 percent of these illicit drugs since 1971, when President Nixon declared the war on drugs. Lawrence Schwartz, Fairfax - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom