POLICY QUESTIONED

To the editor:

David Broder's Nov. 11 column on the recent U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration raid on a California medical marijuana club highlighted
the absurdity of waging a $50 billion war on consensual vices at a
time when the country faces the all-too-real threat of international
terrorism. Not only should medical marijuana be made available to
cancer and AIDS patients in need, but adult recreational use should be
taxed and regulated.

There is a big difference between condoning marijuana use and
protecting children from drugs. Decriminalization 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 enforceable age controls. Right now kids have an easier
time buying pot than beer.

More disturbing is the manner in which marijuana's black market status
exposes users to sellers of hard drugs. Marijuana may be relatively
harmless compared to legal alcohol - the plant has never been shown to
cause an overdose death - but marijuana prohibition is quite deadly.
As long as marijuana distribution remains in the hands of organized
crime, consumers will continue to come into contact with hard drugs
like meth and cocaine. Current drug policy is a gateway policy.

Robert Sharpe

The Lindesmith Center - Drug Policy Foundation

Washington, D.C.