Expensive War on Drugs Fuels Youth Crime

Taxing and regulating marijuana makes sense. Drug policies modeled
after alcohol prohibition have given rise to a youth-oriented black
market. Drug dealers don't ID for age, but they do recruit minors
immune to adult sentences. So much for protecting the children.
Throwing more money at the problem is no solution. Attempts to limit
the supply of illegal drugs only increase the profitability of drug
trafficking. For addictive drugs like heroin, a spike in street prices
leads desperate addicts to increase criminal activity to feed
desperate habits.

The drug war doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime. Taxing and
regulating marijuana, the most popular illicit drug, is a
cost-effective alternative to a never-ending drug war. As long as
marijuana distribution remains in the hands of organized crime,
consumers will come into contact with sellers of addictive drugs like
methamphetamines. This "gateway" is a direct result of marijuana
prohibition. Students who want to help end the intergenerational
culture war -- otherwise known as the war on some drugs -- should
contact Students for Sensible Drug Policy at SchoolsNotPrisons.com.

Robert Sharpe

Policy Analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy