CANNABIS: REGULATED DRUGS MARKET IS NEEDED

Regarding your Opinion (Mercury, June 24), 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
protects users from criminal records. What is really needed is a
regulated market with age controls. Separating the hard and soft drug
markets is critical. Current drug policy is a gateway policy.

As long as cannabis distribution remains in the hands of organised
crime, consumers will continue to come into contact with sellers of
hard drugs, such as crack cocaine.

Given that cannabis is arguably safer than legal alcohol - the plant
has never been shown to cause an overdose death - 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, Common Sense for Drug Policy, Washington, DC.