TAX AND REGULATE MARIJUANA TO END DRUG WAR

Dear Editor,

Regarding your April 14th editorial, "Sensationalism, distortions
cloud marijuana debate" 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 Obama has thus far maintained the prohibition status quo
rather than pursue real change. Would Barack Obama be in White House
right now if he had been convicted of a marijuana offense in his youth?

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 will continue to come into contact with sellers of hard
drugs like meth and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct result of
marijuana prohibition.

Robert Sharpe, MPA Policy Analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy