Pubdate: Tue, 08 Nov 2011
Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)
Copyright: 2011 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.signonsandiego.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/386
Note: Seldom prints LTEs from outside it's circulation area.
Author: Geoff Smith

THE MARIJUANA DEBATE

The multiple commentaries regarding the legalization of marijuana 
carried a lot of view points, but there were three facts that 
emerged: 1) The best way to reduce drug use is through education and 
treatment; 2) The tens of billions of dollars we spend each year 
trying to halt the flow of drugs has been largely ineffective 
considering the continued size of the market for drugs and ease of 
availability; and 3) Virtually no research has been done regarding 
the benefits or dangers of marijuana.

So the legalization question comes down to two paths: Do we continue 
on our current path of spending huge amounts of taxpayer money to 
halt a flow that can't be halted without good education and treatment 
options which nobody is funding and which can't be provided until 
some serious research about the real effects of marijuana is 
conducted? Or do we try a new path, legalize it, tax it and use the 
taxes to fund the research that will provide actual facts instead of 
myths that can be incorporated into effective education and treatment 
programs? The current path is a 40-year proven failure. The new path 
offers hope of an actual reduction in usage while saving a ton of 
taxpayer money and many lives.

Geoff Smith, Carlsbad
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom