'POT PUFFERS'

Re "Some in U.S. huff while Canadians puff marijuana," Op-Ed, Aug.
11: Contrary to Robert Maginnis' opinion, Canada is light-years ahead
of America and vastly more humane in its approach in dealing with
marijuana.

His reference to hemp being a form of marijuana is as backward as his
basic thesis. The first in the world to allow medical use of
marijuana, Canada shows exemplary enlightenment and is to be
commended. Putting a "match" to most marijuana prohibitions should be
the goal, not only in Canada, but everywhere.

Maginnis' observation that this is another step toward drug
legalization is correct, and it is about time. The phony war on drugs
has become a money tree for law enforcement under its policy of
looting of forfeiture under the color of law, while simultaneously
trampling on cherished civil liberties.

- --Eldon Brandenburg, West Sacramento

Americans puff marijuana, too. The law doesn't slow the puffing down;
it only fills the prisons with pot puffers. One thing that really
bothered me about this article is the statement that calls "hemp, a
form of marijuana."

Hemp is not a form of marijuana. Hemp has no medical value, and hemp
cannot make people high. Twenty-five countries understand the
difference. England, Canada, Russia and China, to name a few, all use
hemp for food, fiber and ethanol.

The only hemp to be found in America is in the malls and in
Hempstead, New York. That's because America used to grow hemp for
industry. Of course, now America grows lots of pot for all of those
American pot puffers. But the hemp industry in America is gone.

- --Janice Bonser, Carmichael