TO END DRUG WAR, JUST LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

LANCASTER, Pa. - Regarding the Jan. 6 editorial, the drug war is
largely a war on marijuana smokers.

In 2010, there were 853,839 marijuana arrests in the United States,
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 like
methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct
result of marijuana prohibition.

- - Robert Sharpe

policy analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy