Collegiate Times

This is in response to Mark Goldsein’s column, “Anti-Drug War does not equal pro-drug,” (CT, Nov. 11). The drug war is largely a war on marijuana smokers. In 2008, there were 847,863 marijuana arrests in the U.S., almost 90 percent for simple possession. At a time when state and local governments are laying off police, firefighters and teachers, this country continues to spend enormous public resources criminalizing Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis.

The end result of this ongoing culture war is not necessarily lower rates of use. The U.S. has higher rates of marijuana use than the Netherlands, where marijuana is legally available. An admitted former pot smoker, President Barack Obama has thus far maintained the prohibition status quo rather than pursue change. Would Barack Obama be in the White House if he had been convicted of a marijuana offense in his youth?

Marijuana decriminalization is a long overdue step in the right direction. Taxing and regulating marijuana would render the drug war obsolete. As long as marijuana distribution is controlled by organized crime, consumers of the most popular illicit drug will come into contact with sellers of hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin. This “gateway” is a direct result of marijuana prohibition.

Students who want to help end the intergenerational culture war otherwise known as the war on some drugs should contact Students for Sensible Drug Policy at SchoolsNotPrisons.com.

Robert Sharpe

Policy analyst

Common sense for drug policy