Current Law Is Not Working.

[greenbuddha]

US WA: PUB LTE: Current System Is Not Working

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URL: http://www.mapinc.or...1/n662/a03.html

Newshawk: Kirk

Votes: 0

Pubdate: Wed, 16 Nov 2011

Source: Seattle Times (WA)

Copyright: 2011 Robert Sharpe

Contact:male2('opinion','seattletimes.com'); opinion@seattletimes.com

Website: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/

Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/409

Author: Robert Sharpe

 

 

 

CURRENT SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING

 

When two retired judges and a former U.S. Attorney join together to make the case for marijuana legalization on the Opinion page of The Seattle Times, perhaps it's time to heed the arguments for reform. ["Time to end failed experiment with marijuana prohibition," Nov. 12.]

 

While state and local governments are laying off police, firefighters and teachers, this country continues to spend enormous resources criminalizing Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis. The end result of this ongoing culture war is not necessarily lower rates of use.

 

The U.S. has higher rates of marijuana use than the Netherlands, where marijuana is legally available. Decriminalization is a long-overdue step in the right direction. Taxing and regulating marijuana would render the drug war obsolete. As long as organized crime controls distribution, marijuana consumers will come into contact with sellers of hard drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct result of marijuana prohibition.

 

- -- Robert Sharpe, Common Sense for Drug Policy, Washington, D.C.

MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom