I’m off to London to represent MPP at the launch of the Beckley Foundation’s Global Cannabis Commission Report October 2 and 3.

This document, put together by some of the world’s top researchers and drug policy analysts, promises to be of great value in efforts to base marijuana policy on facts and data rather than spin or political expediency. So you won’t see me posting for a few days (outside of meetings, I will be fully occupied recovering from jet lag), but I will post a full report early next week.

In the marijuana reform movement, one of the comments I often overhear in conversations, see posted in online message forums, or read in blog comments relates to the Netherlands and their treatment of marijuana. “Treat marijuana like the Netherlands does” seems to be the rallying cry for lots of misinformed people.

Jeffrey Stinson recently did a short piece on how marijuana is treated in the Netherlands for USA Today. Though brief, the story zeroes in on one important fact: Marijuana in the Netherlands is illegal; the government simply chooses to ignore its sale and use.

I respect that the Netherlands treats marijuana more in accordance with the potential harms than America does, but I still strongly believe that as Americans we should work toward creating sensible policies to tax and regulate marijuana rather than making a conscious effort to ignore it. Let’s look for solutions, not stopgaps.

What do you think?