THE ANSWER TO DRUG WAR: DECRIMINALIZATION OF POT

Regarding your July 16 editorial on New Jersey's stalled medical
marijuana program, 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. Decriminalization is a long overdue
step in the right direction. 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 such as cocaine and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct
result of marijuana prohibition.

ROBERT SHARPE

Arlington, Va.

Policy analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, D.C.