LEGALIZING MARIJUANA WOULD SAVE OUR KIDS

Letters to the Editor

Regarding the Nov. 20 article on Oregon's offer to help with Hawai`i's
medical marijuana program: Hawai`i's Legislature should be commended for
being the first state to approve medical marijuana through legislation
instead of voter initiative. Not only should medical marijuana be available
to patients in need, but adult recreational use should be regulated as well.

The reason for this is simple: Leaving the distribution of popular
recreational drugs in the hands of organized crime puts children at great
risk. Unlike legitimate businesses that sell liquor, illegal drug dealers
working the black market do not check IDs for age, but they do push
profitable, addictive drugs like "ice" when given the chance. Drug policies
designed to protect children have given rise to a youth-oriented black
market in which illicit drugs are readily available.

Sensible regulation is desperately needed to undermine the black market and
restrict access to drugs. Marijuana is the most popular illicit drug.
Compared to legal drugs like alcohol and tobacco, marijuana is relatively
harmless. Yet marijuana prohibition is deadly. While there is nothing
inherent in marijuana that compels users to try harder drugs, its black
market status puts users in contact with criminals who push them.

As long as marijuana remains illegal, the established criminal distribution
network will ensure that children sample every toxic poison concocted by
drug pushers. Current drug policy is effectively a gateway policy.

As counter-intuitive as it may seem, replacing marijuana prohibition with
regulation would do a better job protecting children from drugs than the
failed drug war.

Robert Sharpe Program Officer, The Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation
Washington, D.C.