LETTER OF THE WEEK

FACE THE FACTS ON MARIJUANA

As a representative of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, the primary
organization working to reduce the negative impact that both drug
abuse and drug policies have on young people and students, I couldn't
disagree more with the statements made by Lyndon E. Lafferty ("Don't
let the marijuana myth live on," July 25).

Claiming that more teens are in treatment for marijuana than any
other drug is a distortion. They aren't there because they think
they have a problem. They are placed into treatment because they
have been arrested for marijuana possession and given an
ultimatum. Getting arrested and thrown into the criminal justice
system is the biggest problem marijuana has caused many of these
young people. I saw this firsthand during my time as a substance
abuse counselor with teens.

Mr. Lafferty conveniently leaves out an important fact: Marijuana
prohibition makes it easier for young people to buy the drug in their
schools. You don't see kids selling six packs of beer or cartons of
cigarettes in the hallways; you see them selling marijuana. That's
because it's unregulated, uncontrolled and highly
lucrative. According to the Monitoring the Future Survey, more 10th
graders now smoke pot than cigarettes. When more youth are using a
drug that is illegal than a drug that is tightly regulated and highly
taxed, it's time to admit that marijuana prohibition doesn't work.

I hope California voters will vote "yes" on Proposition 19.

Jonathan Perri

Associate Director

Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Pubdate: Thu, 29 Jul 2010

Source: Times-Herald, The (Vallejo, CA)

Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n590/a03.html