[Sativa]

Clearly the worst aspect of marijuana use is getting caught. Columnist Kathleen Parker in her July 8 missive "Ending war on marijuana would save U.S. billions" is on spot.

America needs to get a grip on the "War on Some Drugs" if we are ever to bring peace to our streets and close the gap of disrespect between law enforcement and citizens. The current plan does not work, no matter how many prisons are built or the amount of money spent. We need harm-reduction methods and we need to follow the advice of past commissions formed to study drugs in society.

Since the 1970s, there have been more than a dozen drug policy commissions. None recommended full legalization of drugs or viewed any drug, including marijuana, as harmless. None called for a war on drugs, on users or on addiction. Rather, all of the commissions recommended gentle, humane approaches to dealing with drug users and abusers.

Policy makers haven't listened to all those drug commissions loaded with prominent judges, politicians and corporate executives. If you can call it representation, the drug user was represented by special interests. No real voice from that population was considered. Will we continue more of the same policies based on the needs of special interests or the needs of people? Surely in a world of legal alcohol and tobacco products, there is room for marijuana regulation.



News Hawk- User http://www.420Magazine.com
Source: Asbury Park Press
Author: Peter Christopher
Contact: APP.COM - Contact Us
Copyright: 2007 Asbury Park Press
Website: Marijuana laws need new focus