Pubdate: Wed, 16 Jun 2010
Source: Vail Daily (CO)
Copyright: 2010 Robert Sharpe
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/wo3Ts7AI
Website: http://www.vaildaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3233
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n444/a05.html

END POT PROHIBITION

Regarding Matt Zalaznick's June 13 commentary ("Vail smokes voters
with pot ban"): 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 is controlled by organized crime, consumers
will continue to come into contact with hard drugs like cocaine and
heroin. This "gateway" is a direct result of marijuana
prohibition.

Robert Sharpe

Policy Analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake