CHILDREN ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE MESSAGE

There is a big difference between condoning marijuana use and
protecting children from drugs. Decriminalization acknowledges the
social reality of marijuana use 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 marijuana distribution remains in the hands of
organized crime, consumers will continue to come into contact with
sellers of hard drugs like methamphetamine. This "gateway" is the
direct result of a fundamentally flawed policy. Marijuana is arguably
safer than legal alcohol. It makes no sense to waste scarce tax
dollars on failed policies that finance organized 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

(Now how do we convince our politicians?)