POT LEGALIZATION FAVORED BY SOME TO STEM VIOLENCE

A growing chorus of lawmakers is openly calling for the legalization
of marijuana as a measure to stop the escalating violence along
U.S.-Mexico border.

The legislators who have endorsed legalization are Reps. Loretta
Sanchez (D-Calif.), Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), Dana Rohrabacher
(R-Calif.), and Ron Paul (R-Texas).

However, the chances of legalization occurring soon seem
slim.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs recently said that President
Obama does not support the legalization of marijuana.

While a change occurring on the federal level appears remote, Paul
believes that the tone of the debate is shifting.

As a result of the raising tide violence along the border, Paul said
the public and Congress are beginning to "wake up" and take notice of
the relationship between border violence and marijuana.

The question of whether marijuana should be legalized has been
triggered as result of the violence on the border associated with the
lucrative, cross-border drug trade -- estimated at $10 billion annually.

The lawmakers also claimed that the war on drugs has
failed.

I think that there has been an honest, very honest, sincere attempt to
win the drug war, and that it is not a winnable war," Rohrabacher
said. "I don't think there is anything more they can do to try to make
the drug war work."

McDermott said, "Clearly, people all over the country are using
marijuana. We have filled our prisons at enormous costs...and we have
no money for education."

He added, "We spend more, and more, more money in [the Drug
Enforcement Administration], and rounding up people, and spraying
fields, and all this stuff. And, from a social policy, I don't see any
reason not to legalize it, control it, sell it, [and] tax it."

Calvina Fay, executive director of Drug Free America Foundation,
strong disagrees. "I can't understand how anyone thinks that
legalizing drugs is going to stop the violence," she said. "To think
that drug traffickers in Mexico are going to fall in line and pay
their taxes if marijuana is legalized is just flawed thinking."

Proponents of legalization lauded the legislators.

We would welcome a serious debate on the issue. The evidence is clear;
legalizing marijuana will reduce its price and the violence
surrounding it," said Dan Bernath, assistant director of
communications for the Marijuana Policy Project.

No legislation seeking to legalize marijuana has been introduced in
the 111th Congress. Rohrabacher said politicians are concerned about
the potential political fallout if they spoke out in favor of
legalization.

There are a lot of people who understand that [the current war on
drugs has been a failure], but they are afraid to politically say so,"
Rohrabacher said. "If it was a vote - a blind vote where nobody knew
who was voting - you would have overwhelming support for legalizing
marijuana out there, but they will never vote for it because they are
afraid of taking on a controversial issue."