Jail is not a pot deterrent

(Re: "Medical association: Reconsider pot," In Case You Missed It,
Nov. 19.) While I'm thrilled that the American Medical Association
has finally urged the federal government to rethink its
prohibitionist stance on medical marijuana, I can't help but wonder
about their disclaimer, i.e., that this should not be not be viewed
as an endorsement of marijuana legalization.

Does the American Medication Association believe that jail cells and
criminal records are appropriate as health interventions? They
certainly don't work as deterrents. In 2008, there were 847,863
marijuana arrests in the U.S., almost 90 percent for simple
possession. 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.

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.

Robert Sharpe/Arlington, Va.