MAKE DISTINCTION IN DRUG VIOLENCE

To the Editor:

I concur with columnist Charlie Beckerman's contention that marijuana users
do share in the responsibility for the violence caused by the marijuana
trade ("Dark side of the doob," Oct. 3). Unfortunately, this simple
declaration fails to take the entire situation into account.

By not citing statistical evidence that distinguishes between types of
marijuana-related violence, the article was just as propagandist as the
advertisement that prompted it. Beckerman cites an advertisement from the
Office of National Drug Control Policy featuring Carla, an innocent victim
of marijuana-related violence. I agree it is convincing, but who could
argue against protecting little girls from vicious drug dealers? Surely no
one with a heart.

However, to paint all marijuana-related violence with Carla's brushstroke
is as foolish as it is easy. Logically, we can classify marijuana-related
violence into two categories: violence against those participating in the
trade (dealers, suppliers, buyers), and violence against those not
participating in the trade (Carla). Violence against the latter is
obviously tragic. However, violence against the former should garner no
sympathy. Those participating in an illegal trade accept the risks
involved, and should not be compared to innocent girls hit by stray bullets.

Unfortunately, Beckerman does not make the distinction between these two
kinds of victims. He paints all the violence with the brush of Carla, the
innocent bystander. Even more unfortunately, he is not alone. After
searching many drug-related sources, including the Drug Enforcement
Administration and Office of National Drug Control Policy archives, I could
find no data on drug-related violence distinguishing between the two
categories, let alone any marijuana-specific information making the
distinction. If you find any specific evidence about marijuana-related
violence, please let me know. In the mean time, I would suspect that the
majority of the victims of marijuana-related violence are those engaged in
the trade. They are the targets. The bystanders are not. If Beckerman and
the government wish to stop marijuana use by playing on people's
sympathies, they had better have facts.

Jared Melnik