LEGALIZING MARIJUANA COULD REDUCE METH USE

In response to your Mar. 29 editorial ("Meth epidemic endangers children"):

Mississippi's hazardous methamphetamine labs are reminiscent of the deadly
exploding liquor stills that sprang up throughout the nation during alcohol
prohibition. Drug policies modeled after alcohol prohibition have given
rise to a youth-oriented black market. Illegal drug dealers don't ID for
age, but they do recruit minors immune to adult sentences. So much for
protecting the children.

Throwing more money at the problem is no solution. Attempts to limit the
supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only increase the
profitability of drug trafficking. For addictive drugs like meth, a spike
in street prices leads desperate addicts to increase criminal activity to
feed desperate habits. The drug war doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime.

Taxing and regulating marijuana, the most popular illicit drug, is a
cost-effective alternative to never-ending drug war. As long as marijuana
distribution remains in the hands of organized crime, consumers will
continue to come into contact with sellers of hard drugs like meth. This
"gateway" is the direct result of a fundamentally flawed policy.

Given that marijuana is arguably safer than legal alcohol - the plant has
never been shown to cause an overdose death - it makes no sense to waste
tax dollars on failed policies that finance organized crime and facilitate
the use of hard drugs. Drug policy reform may send the wrong message to
children, but I like to think the children are more important than the message.

Robert Sharpe, MPA

Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington