Dear Editor,

Not only should medical marijuana be made available to patients in need,
but adult recreational use should be regulated. 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 illegal drugs while demand remains constant only increase the
profitability of trafficking. For addictive drugs like heroin, 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, 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 hard drugs like methamphetamine. This
“gateway” is a direct result of marijuana prohibition.

Sincerely,
Robert Sharpe, MPA
Policy Analyst
Common Sense for Drug Policy
Washington, DC

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