Regarding Matt Cameron's March 31 column ("Highly liberating"), 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 Obama has thus far maintained the prohibition status quo rather than pursue real change. Would Barack Obama be in White House right now if he had been convicted of a marijuana offense in his youth?
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 will continue to come into contact with sellers of hard drugs like meth and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct result of marijuana prohibition.
Students who want to reform marijuana laws should contact Students for Sensible Drug Policy at www.SchoolsNotPrisons.com.
Robert Sharpe, MPA\nCommon Sense for Drug Policy
Read More
EDITORIAL: HRL changes have eroded staff autonomy — again
By Editorial Board | June 8, 2025The failure to consider Resident Staff, namely SRs, as an integral stakeholder while its system falsely advertises itself as a proponent of student self-governance.
VEGA: In defense of President Jim Ryan
By Keoni Vega | June 5, 2025Should the raucous Jefferson Council and related conservative groups succeed in their effort to oust President Ryan, the University will enter a new phase that will be unrecognizable to most of its current students and staff.
EDITORIAL: U.Va. needs to promote better artificial intelligence policies
By Editorial Board | May 27, 2025A better method of controlling AI use in classrooms comes with collaboration and communication — the University should set a clear policy-making process for professors.
