IT IS TIME TO END MARIJUANA PROHIBITION By Keith Stroup And Paul Armentano - NORML Republican  Sens.  Charles  E. Grassley of Iowa and Jon Kyl of Arizona pose  the  question:  What  would  America  look like if we integrated harm-reduction  strategies  into U.S. drug policy? ("Don't forfeit war on  drugs,"  Oct.  12.) =  The truth is that we already have first-hand experience  with  a  prominent component of harm reduction - marijuana decriminalization  -  and  it  has  been  overwhelmingly  positive. Decriminalization  removes  the consumer - the marijuana smoker - from the  criminal  justice  system,  while  maintaining criminal penalties against  those  who  sell  or traffic large quantities of the drug. In 1972,  President  Richard Nixon's National Commission on Marijuana and Drug  Abuse  recommended that Congress adopt this policy nationally in the United States. Since  1973, 12 state legislatures - including Nevada this year - have enacted  versions  of  marijuana  decriminalization.  In each of these states,  marijuana smokers no longer face jail time for the possession or  use of minor amounts of marijuana, a position backed by a majority of  the  American  public according to nationwide polls. Oregon voters recently  reaffirmed  their  policy  by  a  2-1  margin in a statewide referendum. Contrary  to  allegations  made by Mr. Grassley and Mr. Kyl that those who  favor drug-law reform are hiding their agenda, we at the National Organization  for  the  Reform  of  Marijuana Laws (NORML) have always been  clear  about  our  aim:  to stop the arrest of responsible adult marijuana smokers. Enforcing  marijuana  prohibition  costs  taxpayers  an  estimated $10 billion  annually  arresting  and  prosecuting  more  than  700,000 individuals  per  year,= including patients who require marijuana as a medicine. This is a tremendous waste of national and state criminal-justice  resources,  which  should  be  focused  on combating serious and violent crime, including terrorism. In  addition,  prohibition  inappropriately  invites  government  into areas  of  citizens'  private  lives, and needlessly damages the lives and  careers  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  otherwise  law-abiding citizens each year. NORML  urges  the  Senate  Judiciary Committee to scrutinize drug czar nominee  John  Walter's  past record and question the emphasis he will place  upon  marijuana-law enforcement in relation to more significant drug offenses. After  more  than  60  years of a failed and destructive policy, it is time to end marijuana prohibition. Keith Stroup and Paul Armentano Washington Note: Keith Stroup is the executive director of the National Organization  for  the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) in Washington. Paul Armentano is NORML's senior policy analyst.