Rep. Henry Waxman

Senator Dianne Feinstein

Senator Barbara Boxer

Representatives,

It’s me, Nick Adams, again. I’m sure you guys are well aware of the report issued by the Global Cannabis Commission. You know, the international group of scientists who studied the issue of global cannabis policy and then released their findings in a 226-page paper, Cannabis Policy: Moving Beyond Stalemate? Just in case you haven’t gotten around to reading all about it, I thought I’d point out some of the highlights of their report.

The enforcement effort has not had much success in deterring use.

Translation: With regards to marijuana, the drug war has been a failure.

The probability and scale of harm among heavy cannabis users is modest

compared with that caused by many other psychoactive substances, both

legal and illegal, in common use, namely, alcohol, tobacco, amphetamines,

cocaine and heroin.

Translation: It’s less harmful than alcohol and tobacco.

The rationale for severe penalties for possession offenses is weak on both

normative and practical grounds. In many developed countries a majority of

adults born in the past half-century have used cannabis. Control regimes that

criminalize users are intrusive on privacy, socially divisive and expensive.

Thus it is worth considering alternatives.

Translation: Our current marijuana laws are costly and infringe on our civil liberties.

In countries where data are available, arrest rates are sharply higher for many

minority and socially disadvantaged groups.

Translation: The war on marijuana disproportionately effects minorities and poor people.

Given this data, I’m sure that you will all immediately reconsider your illogical and counter-productive stance on the continued criminalization of marijuana.