CURRENT SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING

When two retired judges and a former U.S. Attorney join together to
make the case for marijuana legalization on the Opinion page of The
Seattle Times, perhaps it's time to heed the arguments for reform.
["Time to end failed experiment with marijuana prohibition," Nov. 12.]

While state and local governments are laying off police, firefighters
and teachers, this country continues to spend enormous 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 like methamphetamine, cocaine and
heroin. This "gateway" is a direct result of marijuana prohibition.

- -- Robert Sharpe, Common Sense for Drug Policy, Washington, D.C.