THE PROHIBITION OF MARIJUANA: THAT'S THE PROBLEM

D.C. Assistant Police Chief Peter Newsham might be an unlikely
advocate for overhauling our nation's broken marijuana laws, but he
articulated a central truth about the harms associated with marijuana
and marijuana prohibition ["As D.C. votes on marijuana, seeds already
firmly planted," front page. May 4]. "People don't feel marijuana is
dangerous," Newsham said, "but it is, because of the way it is sold."

Exactly. Marijuana is virtually nontoxic, incapable of producing a
fatal overdose and much less dangerous than both alcohol and tobacco.
But by keeping marijuana illegal, our policies have created an
underground, unregulated market that is controlled by criminals and
violent gangs.

More than 15 million Americans use marijuana every month, and many of
them will risk their safety when trying to buy it from drug dealers
who are not required to follow any of the responsible controls,
regulations and laws that we have successfully applied to the sale of alcohol.

It's time for officials to acknowledge reality: Marijuana doesn't
kill people. Prohibition does.

Mike Meno, Washington