BLAME 'WAR ON DRUGS'

Ipswich Republican Rep. Brad Hill is absolutely right about marijuana
leading to the use of more dangerous substances -- and the drug war is to
blame.

As the most popular illicit drug in America, marijuana currently provides
the black market contacts that introduce users to drugs like heroin. This
"gateway" is the direct result of a fundamentally flawed policy.

In Europe, the Netherlands has successfully reduced overall drug use by
replacing marijuana prohibition with regulation. Dutch rates of drug use
are significantly lower than U.S. rates in every category. Separating the
hard and soft drug markets and establishing age controls for marijuana has
proven more effective than zero tolerance.

Given that marijuana is arguably safer than legal alcohol, it makes no
sense to waste tax dollars on failed policies that finance organized crime
and needlessly expose children to dangerous drugs.

Drug policy reform may send the wrong message to children, but I like to
think the children themselves are more important than the message.
Opportunistic "tough on drugs" politicians would no doubt disagree.

ROBERT SHARPE
Program Officer
The Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation
4455 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite B-500, Washington, D.C. 20008-2328