(re: Legalize pot, save health care, Western News, July 31)
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is to be commended for coming out strong against marijuana prohibition.
There is a big difference between condoning marijuana use and protecting children from drugs.
Decriminalization acknowledges the social reality of marijuana and spares users criminal records.
What’s really needed is a regulated market with enforceable age controls. Separating the hard and soft drug markets is critical.
As long as organized crime controls marijuana distribution, consumers will come into contact with sellers of hard drugs like cocaine, meth and heroin.
Marijuana prohibition is a gateway drug policy. It makes no sense to waste tax dollars on failed marijuana policies that finance organized crime and facilitate the use of hard drugs.
Regulating marijuana sales may send the wrong message to children, but I like to think the children are more important than the message.
Robert Sharpe, MPA
Policy Analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy
Washington, DC
