Pubdate: Thu, 18 Jun 2015
Source: Expositor, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 Brantford Expositor
Contact: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/letters
Website: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1130
Author: Robert Sharpe
Page: A6

LEGALIZE POT

Not only should medical marijuana be made available in all forms to 
patients in need, but all adult marijuana use should be legal, taxed 
and regulated.

Drug policies modelled 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. 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. 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 
methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. Marijuana prohibition is a 
gateway drug policy.

Robert Sharpe, MPA

Policy Analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom