REGULATION IS SAFER IDEA THAN PROHIBITION

Sir,

There is a big difference between condoning cannabis use and protecting
children from drugs.

Decriminalisation acknowledges the social reality of cannabis use, and
frees users from the stigma of life-shattering criminal records.

What's really needed is a regulated market with age controls.

The thriving black market has no age controls, making it easier for kids to
buy cannabis than beer.

Although cannabis is relatively harmless compared to most legal drugs - the
plant has never been shown to cause an overdose death - cannabis
prohibition is deadly.

Illegal cannabis provides the black market contacts that introduce youth to
addictive drugs like heroin. Current drug policy is a gateway policy.

Like alcohol prohibition once did in the United States. cannabis
prohibition effectively subsidises organised crime, while failing miserably
at preventing use.

As counter-intuitive as it may seem, replacing cannabis prohibition with
regulation would do a better job in protecting children than the
never-ending drug war.

ROBERT SHARPE, M.P.A.. Program officer, The Lindesmith Cente- Drug Policy
Foundation, Foundation, 4455 Connecticut Ave, Washington,DC, United States
of America.