LETTER OF THE WEEK

IT ISN'T MICHAEL PHELPS WE OUGHT TO REPUDIATE

By Steve Harbin

If anyone should be embarrassed about the recent photo that surfaced
in a British tabloid showing Michael Phelps apparently smoking
marijuana, it should be each American citizen ("Phelps: 'I am
sorry,'" Feb. 2). And it is not Mr. Phelps we should be embarrassed
by. Rather, we should be ashamed of our lawmakers who continue to
support marijuana prohibition.

There are no more absurd laws on the books than those that
criminalize the use of marijuana by responsible adults.

Billions of dollars are wasted annually in the United States as we
wage a war on drugs, and they accomplish little - with the notable
exception of creating a black market that makes some violent
criminals very wealthy.

Ending prohibition would allow legitimate companies rather than
gun-toting criminals to produce marijuana. This would create a safer
product and a safer marketplace for consumers and allow the profits
of those companies to be taxed like those of any other corporate entity.

I have never been a user of illegal drugs. But I am not
self-righteous enough to use the force of law to tell other informed
adults about what substances they can put into their bodies.

We all know how poorly the prohibition of alcohol worked decades ago,
yet our lawmakers continue to prohibit marijuana today and expect a
different result.

That's insane.

Steve Harbin

Woodbine

Pubdate: Tue, 3 Feb 2009

Source: Baltimore Sun (MD)

Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n000/a021.html