WE SHOULD NOT FOLLOW US POLICY ON DRUGS

REGARDING Pat Leahy's thoughtful letter ('Only criminals gain from
drugs ban,' Irish Examiner, February 13), the drug war is in large
part a war on cannabis, by far the most popular illicit drug.

The 'monitoring the future' survey at the University of Michigan in
the US reports that lifetime use of cannabis is higher in the US than
any European country, yet America is one of the few western countries
that uses its criminal justice system to punish citizens who prefer
marijuana to Martini.

Despite clear evidence that draconian laws fail to deter use, the
former Land of the Free and current record-holder for citizens
incarcerated continues to use its superpower status to export a
dangerous moral crusade around the globe.

Unlike alcohol, cannabis has never been shown to cause an overdose
death.

Neither does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. The
short-term health effects of cannabis are inconsequential compared to
the long-term effects of criminal records.

Unfortunately, cannabis represents the counterculture to misguided
reactionaries intent on prosecuting their version of morality.

Ireland should 'Just Say No' to the American inquisition.

Robert Sharpe

Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy