POTHOLES

RE "DRIVE for legal marijuana has a few potholes," by Ike Awgu (Feb. 26):
There is a big difference between condoning marijuana use and protecting
children from drugs. The decriminalization bill acknowledges the social
reality of marijuana use and frees users from the stigma of life-shattering
criminal records. What's really needed is a regulated market with age controls.

Separating the hard and soft drug markets is critical. 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 cocaine. This
"gateway" is the direct result of a flawed policy.

Given that marijuana is arguably safer than legal alcohol, it makes no
sense to waste scarce resources 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

Policy Analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy

(We assume everyone on both sides of the argument would say the same thing)