Pubdate: Sun, 17 Oct 2010
Source: Boston Globe (MA)
Copyright: 2010 Andy Gaus
Contact: http://bostonglobe.com/news/opeds/letter.aspx?id=6340
Website: http://www.boston.com/globe/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/52
Author: Andy Gaus
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n831/a05.html

WITH KIDS, DRUGS, VIOLENCE ALL IN MIX, HOW CAN LEGALIZATION BE A
TABOO SUBJECT?

KEVIN CULLEN, in his column "Smoking, guns" (Metro, Oct. 12) correctly 
states that a lot of high school kids are using marijuana and that there is 
violence associated with marijuana sales. He admits that legalization might 
end the violence, but says that that discussion is "taboo."

What?

We need a serious, non-taboo discussion of legalization for precisely the 
two reasons he mentions. High school students have more access to dope than 
to booze because dealers never check ID. With legalization, you can also 
have age regulations, a much more effective way of curbing teen marijuana 
use. Likewise, with legalization, you can sell marijuana in nonresidential 
businesses that can afford to hire security.

Perhaps, as Cullen suggests, more adults would try marijuana if it were 
legalized. But stopping the violence and protecting our children are both 
more important than telling adults what they can't choose to consume. 
They're also both more important than Cullen's conception of what 
discussions are taboo.

Andy Gaus

Boston
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