GORDON SHOULD GO DUTCH FOR DRUGS

INSTEAD of following the US tough-on-some-drugs lead, Gordon Brown
should go Dutch.

Former Home Secretary David Blunkett's reclassification of cannabis
was merely a step in the right direction. There is a big difference
between condoning cannabis use and protecting children from drugs.
Decriminalisation acknowledges the social reality of cannabis 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 cannabis distribution remains in the hands of organised
crime, consumers will continue to come into contact with sellers of
hard drugs like heroin and cocaine. Given that cannabis is arguably
safer than legal alcohol, it makes no sense to waste tax revenue on
failed policies that finance organised 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, policy analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy,
Washington, DC