Pubdate: Thu, 06 Jul 2000
Source: Corpus Christi Caller-Times (TX)
Copyright: 2000 Corpus Christi Caller-Times
Address: P.O. Box 9136, Corpus Christi, TX 78469-9136
Feedback: http://www.caller.com/commcentral/email_ed.htm
Website: http://www.caller.com/
Author: Robert Sharpe, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, George Washington 
University
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n908/a06.html

LEGALIZE POT

The war on drugs is clogging the courts and jails of southern border 
states. Your July 1 article, ("Border prosecutors will keep drug cases, for 
now") indicates that marijuana busts are the most common.

If we could build a great wall and stop all marijuana shipments from 
entering the U.S., wouldn't it just lead to an increase in domestic 
cultivation? Rather than continue to waste tax dollars on a futile effort, 
I propose that we generate tax dollars by legalizing marijuana.

In doing so, we'd protect the children far more than the current drug war 
does. The marijuana trade is now controlled by organized crime.

As the most popular illicit drug, marijuana provides the black-market 
connections that introduce youth to drugs such as Ecstasy and heroin.

While there is nothing inherent in the marijuana plant that compels users 
to try harder drugs, its black-market status puts users in contact with 
criminals who push them. As long as marijuana remains illegal, the 
established criminal distribution network will ensure that America's 
children can sample every new poison concocted by drug-pushers. Current 
drug policy is a gateway drug policy. Given that marijuana is arguably 
safer than alcohol, why not end marijuana prohibition? We could be paying 
off the national debt instead of increasing it with expensive border war games.

One thing is for sure, Americans will continue to smoke pot regardless.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart