FLAWED DRUG POLICY BACKFIRES

West Virginia'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 drugs while demand remains constant only
increases 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 and arguably
West Virginia's number-one cash crop, 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.

Students who want to help reform harmful drug laws should contact Students
for Sensible Drug Policy at www.ssdp.org.

Robert Sharpe, MPA Policy Analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy