DRUG MADNESS

Re "The medical marijuana mess," Editorial, Oct. 14

Mexican drug cartels are no doubt thrilled with the Obama
administration's crackdown on voter-approved medical marijuana
dispensaries. So much for change. So much for jobs.

The medical marijuana industry is one of the few job creators in the
current down economy. If President Obama succeeds in destroying the
domestic medical marijuana industry, drug cartels will move in to
meet demand and reap the profits. This is basic economics. As long as
there is a demand for marijuana, there will be a supply.

Replacing domestic growers with organized-crime groups that also sell
cocaine, meth and heroin is not a good thing. Marijuana prohibition
is a gateway drug policy.

Robert Sharpe

Washington

The writer is a policy analyst at Common Sense for Drug Policy.