This is in response to Mark Goldsein's column, "Anti-Drug War does
not equal pro-drug," (CT, Nov. 11). The drug war is largely a war on
marijuana smokers. In 2008, there were 847,863 marijuana arrests in
the U.S., almost 90 percent for simple possession. At a time when
state and local governments are laying off police, firefighters and
teachers, this country continues to spend enormous public resources
criminalizing Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis.

The end result of this ongoing culture war is not necessarily lower
rates of use. The U.S. has higher rates of marijuana use than the
Netherlands, where marijuana is legally available. An admitted former
pot smoker, President Barack Obama has thus far maintained the
prohibition status quo rather than pursue change. Would Barack Obama
be in the White House if he had been convicted of a marijuana offense
in his youth?

Marijuana decriminalization is a long overdue step in the right
direction. Taxing and regulating marijuana would render the drug war
obsolete. As long as marijuana distribution is controlled by
organized crime, consumers of the most popular illicit drug will come
into contact with sellers of hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin.
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