Pubdate: Sun, 02 Dec 2001
Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2001, Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: Website: http://www.fyiottawa.com/ottsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329
Note: Parethetical remark by the Sun editor; headline by newshawk.
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n1958/a09.html
Author: Matthew M. Elrod

WHY NOT TAX AND REGULATE CANNABIS

RE "COPS rattle drug rings," (Nov. 18): Ottawa Police Insp. Gary Nelson 
illustrates the Chinese finger trap we call the "war on drugs" with his 
recognition that drug interdiction merely destabilizes markets, drives up 
prices and creates underworld job openings.

Higher prices drive up prostitution and theft while shortages cause lethal 
fluctuations in purity and drive users to alternatives, usually alcohol.

A recent study by the RAND Corporation found that every additional dollar 
invested in substance abuse treatment saves taxpayers $7.46 in societal 
costs. Treatment is 10 times more cost effective than interdiction in 
reducing the use of cocaine in the United States. Rather than interdict 
10-15% of the cannabis trade, leaving the rest in the underground economy 
as we do now, why not tax and regulate cannabis and hashish, thus 
generating a pool of funds for research, prevention, education and harm 
reduction proportional to the population of users?

If our worst fears came true and cannabis regulation turned the entire 
subset of Canadians who would like to use cannabis, but who as a 
consequence of police searches and seizures were unable to obtain it, into 
chronic "pot heads," we would have the funds on hand to cope with it.

Matthew M. Elrod

(There's a lot of room for improvment when it comes to our drug laws)
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