DRUG POLICY FINANCES CRIME

Regarding Rick Holmes' thoughtful column ("40 years of reefer
madness," Feb. 19), there is a big difference between condoning
marijuana use and protecting children from drugs. Decriminalization
acknowledges the social reality of marijuana and frees users from
the stigma of life-shattering criminal records. What's
really needed is a regulated market with age controls. Separating
the hard and soft drug markets is critical. As long as marijuana
distribution remains in the hands of organized crime, consumers will
continue to come into contact with sellers of hard drugs like heroin.

This "gateway" is the direct result of a fundamentally flawed
policy. Given that marijuana is arguably safer than legal alcohol --
the plant has never been shown to cause an overdose death -- it
makes no sense to waste tax dollars on failed policies that finance
organized crime and facilitate the use of hard drugs.

Drug policy reform may send the wrong message to children, but I
like to think the children are more important than the message.

Robert Sharpe