MARIJUANA: PROHIBITION NO ANSWER

Dear Editor,

You suggest that even if marijuana were regulated in the manner of alcohol,
it would not snuff out the drug trade [Weed worth its weight in gold, Aug.7
Feature Letter, Langley Advance News].

While there is no way to completely eliminate illegal drug dealing,
regulated sale of marijuana would certainly reduce its free availability.

Drug dealers do not sell drugs because they have an evil intent to corrupt
our children. They sell drugs to make money.

Regulated sale to adults would eliminate a huge portion of the drug
dealer's market. It would greatly reduce the incentive to be a drug dealer,
greatly reduce the size of the drug black market, and reduce the remainder
to much more manageable proportions.

There is certainly no flourishing business in bootlegging alcohol to
children; there is not enough profit in it.

The same economics would apply if we had regulated sale of marijuana to adults.

Prohibition gives the illusion of total control. In reality, it is no
control at all. We persist with the delusion that it "should" eliminate
drug use. After nearly a hundred years, we ought to realize that it
doesn't. Prohibition only makes the problem worse.

Steve Wellcome

Bolton, MA