Pubdate: Thu, 20 Mar 2003
Source: Daily Collegian (PA Edu)
Copyright: 2003 Collegian Inc.
Contact:  http://www.collegian.psu.edu/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/543
Author: Thomas J. Hillgardner
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n420/a04.html?1461

ACCESS TO POT COULD BE REGULATED BY LEGALIZING

If the federal government seriously wanted to reduce teenage marijuana use, 
it would do the one and only thing that would make marijuana less readily 
available to young people, i.e. it would regulate the sale of marijuana.

Contrary to Rebecca Shaver's assertion that alcohol is more readily 
available than marijuana ("Students debate effectiveness of anti-pot ads," 
March 19 article), according to a recent study conducted by Columbia 
University (and confirming the survey data collected by the National 
Household Survey on Drug Abuse), teens find marijuana easier to obtain than 
alcohol.

Instead of cutting off teens' supply, the White House Office of National 
Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has launched a multi-million dollar 
taxpayer-funded ad campaign to try to influence the decisions of 
youngsters. If marijuana was unavailable to 10- and 12-year-olds, these ads 
designed to influence their decisions would be unnecessary. What gives me 
hope is the old adage, "Government always does the right thing; but only 
after exhausting all other alternatives." I guess we are not yet done 
trying to exhaust all the ridiculous alternatives dreamt up by the ONDCP in 
its attempts to perpetuate the massive amounts of law enforcement funding 
for marijuana interdiction and eradication.

Thomas J. Hillgardner

Jamaica, New York
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