DECRIMINALIZING MARIJUANA LONG OVERDUE

Dear Editor: Dave Zweifel's Nov. 30 column was right on target. 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.

Decriminalization is a long overdue step in the right direction.
Taxing and regulating marijuana would render the $50 billion drug war
obsolete. As long as organized crime controls marijuana distribution,
consumers will continue to come into contact with sellers of hard
drugs like cocaine and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct result of
marijuana prohibition.

Robert Sharpe

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, D.C.