PROHIBITION PUSHES MARIJUANA CROP ONTO PARKLAND

Until Congress comes to its senses and ends the war on Americans who
prefer marijuana to martinis, pot will continue to be grown on public
lands ("80% of pot crop invades parkland," News, Friday).

Drug war distortion of supply and demand causes big money to be grown
on little trees. Civil asset forfeiture laws create disincentives for
personal-use cultivation in private homes. All this benefits
international drug cartels. The big losers in this battle are the taxpayers.

Marijuana prohibition has failed miserably as a deterrent.

U.S. rates of marijuana use are higher than in any European country.
That includes countries such as the Netherlands that have
decriminalized marijuana. Marijuana prohibition not only criminalizes
citizens who choose a recreational drug that is arguably safer than
legal alcohol, but it also creates a gateway to hard drugs.

As long as organized crime controls marijuana distribution, consumers
will come into contact with addictive drugs such as methamphetamine
and cocaine. Marijuana might be relatively harmless, but marijuana
prohibition is deadly.

Robert Sharpe, policy analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington