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US drug policy responsible for hard drug use
By Hempology | June 22, 2007
The Columbian, WA
21 Jun 2007
ADMIT DRUG WAR IS FAILING
Regarding John Dunn’s June 10 guest opinion, “Meth enslaves the children of users,” methamphetamine is the latest dangerous drug to be making headlines, but it won’t be the last until policymakers acknowledge the drug war’s inherent failure. 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.
As a policy analyst for the organization Common Sense for Drug Policy, I can report there are cost-effective alternatives to drug war failure. The Netherlands has successfully reduced overall drug use by regulating marijuana sales to adults. Dutch rates of drug use are lower than U.S. rates in every category. Separating the hard and soft drug markets has proved more effective than zero tolerance. Because Dutch marijuana consumers do not come into contact with sellers of hard drugs like methamphetamine, Dutch rates of hard drug use are dramatically lower. By leaving marijuana distribution in the hands of international drug cartels, U.S. drug policy effectively facilitates hard drug use. Rather than admit to failure, shameless tough-on-drugs politicians prefer to blame the plant itself for the alleged gateway to hard drugs.
Robert Sharpe
Washington, D.C.
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