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In this June file photo, Johnnie Seitz moves a "mother" marijuana plant that was used to produce small "clone" plants at Sea of Green Farms, a recreational pot grower in Seattle.

(AP Photo/Ted Warren)

By Rick Steves

When it comes to marijuana, some societies simply moralize and criminalize. Others are more pragmatic and work to reduce harm by taking the crime out of the equation, treating marijuana as a health and education issue instead. As a travel writer and public television producer — spending four months a year for the last 30 years overseas — I've had a passion for studying how different societies tackle the same problems. And it's clear to me, we need to end our nation's prohibition against marijuana.

Marijuana use is a serious, expensive and persistent challenge in our society. And it's time for a new approach. That's why I co-sponsored the initiative that legalized the responsible adult use of marijuana in Washington state two years ago. And that's why I'm supporting Measure 91, which will legalize, tax and regulate marijuana, allowing adults 21 and over to buy up to one ounce from state-licensed stores in Oregon.

Measure 91 is not pro-marijuana. Rather, it's anti-prohibition. I believe that, like the laws that criminalized alcohol back in the 1930s, our current laws against marijuana use are causing more harm to our society than the drug itself.

Marijuana is a drug. It's not good for you. It can be addictive. But marijuana is here to stay. No amount of wishing will bring us a utopian "drug-free society." Measure 91 is a smart law designed to address this reality. It's been endorsed by Richard Harris (one of the state's top drug treatment and addiction experts), former U.S. Attorney Kris Olson, retired Supreme Court Justice Bill Riggs, labor groups, senior citizen organizations, the state's largest newspaper and more — an impressive list of well-respected Oregon leaders.

Marijuana is a huge underground business here in the Pacific Northwest — an untaxed cash crop enriching gangs and empowering organized crime. Measure 91 will bring marijuana out of the black market, regulate it and tax it. Taxes on the legal sale of marijuana are already raising millions of dollars for public services in Washington state and they'll do the same in Oregon after a Measure 91 victory.

Two years after Colorado and Washington state passed their laws taxing, regulating and legalizing the responsible adult use of marijuana, the Brookings Institute issued a study on how things are progressing. They reported that the fears regarding increased teen use, DUIs, and crime are not materializing and, on balance, taking the crime out of the equation is looking like a smart move.

There are so many reasons to end the prohibition on marijuana. Whether you want to improve the well-being of children, redirect money away from criminals and into tax revenue for the state or protect civil liberties, it's clearly time for a new approach. Rather than being "hard on drugs" or "soft on drugs," by passing Measure 91, Oregon can finally be smart about drugs. Please vote yes.

Rick Steves lives in the Seattle area, writes European travel guidebooks, and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio.