DRUG LAWS

Regarding Ronald Fraser's Sept. 9 opinion Does Minnesota need a marijuana
sales tax?." if health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural
norms, marijuana would be legal.

Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death,
nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. Marijuana can be
harmful if abused, but jail cells are inappropriate as health interventions
and ineffective as deterrents.

The first marijuana laws were enacted in response to Mexican migration
during the early 1900s, despite opposition from the American Medical
Association.

Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages have been
counterproductive at best.

White Americans did not even begin to smoke marijuana until a soon-to-be
entrenched government bureaucracy began funding reefer madness propaganda.

By raiding voter-approved medical marijuana providers in California, the
very same U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that claims illicit drug use
funds terrorism is forcing cancer and AIDS patients into the hands of
street dealers.

Apparently marijuana prohibition is more important than protecting the
country from terrorism. Students who want to help end the intergenerational
culture war otherwise known as the war on some drugs should contact
Students for Sensible Drug Policy at www.ssdp.org.

Robert Sharpe, policy analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy