Pubdate: Wed, 05 Oct 2016
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2016 The New York Times Company
Website: http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Tom Angell
Referenced: http://mapinc.org/url/HTScKTuJ

WAYS TO END THE VIOLENCE TIED TO DRUG ABUSE

Re "A Victimless Crime?," by Mario Berlanga (Op-Ed, Sept. 27):

There's no doubt that much of the money spent in the illegal drug
market goes into the pockets of very dangerous people and
organizations, as Mr. Berlanga effectively argues. But trying to shame
users into quitting, as the government has done in the decades-long
failed war on drugs, hasn't ever been an effective way to diminish the
drug trade.

Only legalizing and regulating drugs can strip drug profits from
organized crime, just as ending Prohibition took the booze market out
of the hands of the gangsters who controlled the trade for part of the
last century.

A growing number of states are legalizing marijuana and putting sales
into the hands of responsible, regulated businesses that create jobs
and pay taxes. Changing laws and supply chains in this way is a much
more realistic solution to the problems Mr. Berlanga points out than
persuading millions of Americans to abstain from using drugs.

TOM ANGELL

Brooklyn

The writer is the founder and chairman of Marijuana Majority.
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MAP posted-by: Matt