LET'S TOKE UP

Televangelist Pat Robertson has good reason to speak out in favor of
marijuana decriminalization. In 2009, there were 858,405 marijuana
arrests in the United States, almost 90 percent for simple
possession. At a time when state and local governments are laying off
police officers, this country continues to spend public resources
criminalizing Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis. The end
result isn't necessarily lower rates of use. This country has higher
rates of marijuana use than the Netherlands, where marijuana is
legally available. Decriminalization is a long overdue step. Taxing
and regulating marijuana would render the drug war obsolete. As long
as organized crime controls distribution, marijuana consumers will
come into contact with sellers of hard drugs like methamphetamine,
cocaine and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct result of marijuana prohibition.

Robert Sharpe

Arlington, Va.

Robert Sharpe is a policy analyst with the nonprofit organization Common Sense for Drug Policy.