DRUG PLAN SHOWS ROGER'S NO DOPE

Kingswood MP Roger Berry is to be commended for making the case for
common-sense cannabis law reform. Home Secretary David Blunkett's
reclassification of cannabis is merely a step in the right direction. There
is a big difference between condoning cannabis use and protecting children
from drugs. Decriminalisation acknowledges the social reality of cannabis
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 cannabis remains illegal and is distributed by organised
criminals, consumers will continue to come into contact with sellers of
hard drugs like crack cocaine. Given that cannabis is arguably safer than
legal alcohol - the plant has never been shown to cause death by overdose -
it makes no sense to waste tax dollars on failed policies that finance
organised 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
themselves are more important than the message.

Robert Sharpe,

MPA programme officer, Drug Policy Alliance, 925 15th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005 USA.

www.drugpolicy.org