Pubdate: Fri, 15 Feb 2008
Source: Kennebec Journal (Augusta, ME)
Copyright: 2008 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc
Contact: 
http://centralmaine.mainetoday.com/readerservices/lettertotheeditor.html
Website: http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1405
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n136/a10.html

DRUG WAR DOESN'T FIGHT CRIME, IT FUELS CRIME

Regarding your Feb. 6 editorial -- Not only should medical marijuana 
be made available to patients in need, but adult recreational use 
should be regulated.

Drug policies modeled 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. So much for 
protecting the children.

Throwing more money at the problem is no solution. Attempts to limit 
the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only 
increase the profitability of drug trafficking. For addictive drugs 
like 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 marijuana, the most popular illicit drug, is a 
cost-effective alternative to never-ending drug war. As long as 
marijuana distribution remains in the hands of organized crime, 
consumers will continue to come into contact with hard drugs like 
heroin. This "gateway" is the direct result of a fundamentally flawed policy.

Given that marijuana is arguably safer than alcohol -- the plant has 
never been shown to cause an overdose death -- it makes no sense to 
waste tax dollars on failed policies that finance organized crime and 
facilitate hard drug use.

Drug policy reform may send the wrong message to children, but I like 
to think the children are more important than the message.

Robert Sharpe

Policy Analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy Washington, D.C.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom