WHERE DO YOU STAND ON LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA?

Of the 10 statewide ballot measures facing voters on Nov. 2, the most
controversial is Proposition 19, which asks voters to decide whether
the sale of marijuana should be legalized for general use. Prop. 19
would go beyond the current law that legalizes marijuana for medical
use.

Prop. 19 would allow people who are at least 21 years old to "possess,
cultivate or transport marijuana for personal use."

It would permit local governments to regulate and tax commercial
production, distribution and sales of marijuana for people 21 and older.

Possessing marijuana on school grounds or smoking the weed in public
when minors are present would be prohibited.

Driving while under the influence of marijuana would continue to be
prohibited.

And it would "limit employers' ability to address marijuana use to
situations where job performance is actually impaired."

According to the legislative analyst, passage of Prop. 19 would bring
in much-needed tax revenue - tens of millions of dollars according to
one estimate. And tens of millions of dollars would be saved if
marijuana users weren't jailed.

What do you think? If this were election day, how would you vote on
Prop. 19? Do you think tax revenues would be in the tens of millions
of dollars, or do you think many users would simply grow their own
marijuana, thus bypassing the tax man. Would legalizing marijuana lead
to more or less criminal activity?

We welcome your responses and would like to publish them in the Your
View column. E-mail to letters.wdn@sgvn.com (Whittier Daily News);
letters.star-news@sgvn.com (Pasadena Star-News) or
letters.tribune@sgvn.com (San Gabriel Valley Tribune). Or send through
the mail using the newspaper's street address listed on page A-2. All
letters must include name, address and phone (only name and city will
be printed) and are subject to editing.