Prohibition not only doesn't work ["Prohibition still doesn't work," The Chief, April 17] it increases hard drug addiction rates. At the very minimum it's time to re-legalize cannabis and one reason to do it that doesn't get mentioned is because it will lower deadly hard drug addiction rates.
DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) will have to stop brainwashing youth into believing lies, half-truths and propaganda concerning cannabis, which creates grave future problems.
How many citizens try cannabis and realize it's not nearly as harmful as taught in DARE type government environments? Then they think other substances must not be so bad either, only to become addicted to deadly drugs. The old lessons make cannabis out to be among the worst substances in the world, even though it's less addictive than coffee and has never killed a single person.
The [U.S.] federal government even classifies cannabis as a Schedule I substance along with heroin, while methamphetamine and cocaine are only Schedule II substances. For the health and welfare of North America's children and adults, that dangerous and irresponsible message absolutely must change.
Further, regulated cannabis sales would make it so citizens who purchase it would not come into contact with people who often also sell hard drugs, which would lower hard drug addiction rates.
Stan White
Dillon, Colorado
