REGULATE 'SOFT' DRUGS

Re: the editorial Mr. Harper's marijuana pipe dream (Dec. 2). There
is a big difference between condoning marijuana use and protecting
children from drugs. Decriminalization acknowledges the social
reality of marijuana and frees users from the stigma of
life-shattering criminal records. What's really needed is a regulated
market with age controls.

Separating the hard- and soft-drug markets is critical. As long as
organized crime controls marijuana distribution, consumers will
continue to come into contact with sellers of hard drugs such as
cocaine and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct result of marijuana prohibition.

Marijuana is less harmful than legal alcohol; the plant has never
been shown to cause an overdose death. It makes no sense to waste tax
dollars on failed marijuana policies that finance organized crime and
facilitate the use of hard drugs. Drug-policy reform may send the
wrong message to children, but I like to think the children are more
important than the message.

ROBERT SHARPE Common Sense for Drug Policy Arlington, VA