TAXING MARIJUANA WOULD PUT A STOP TO HARDER DRUGS

I'm writing about your recent online poll question: "Do you think
marijuana should be legalized? (4-17-08).

It seems to me that you asked the wrong question. The question should
be: Should marijuana remain completely untaxed, unregulated and
controlled by criminals?

Because marijuana is now illegal, it is sold only by criminals
(criminals who often sell other, much more dangerous drugs like
cocaine and methamphetamine), and they often offer free samples of the
more dangerous drugs to their marijuana customers. Thus the so-called
"gateway effect."

In a regulated market, this would not happen. Do the readers know of
anyone who has been offered a free bottle of whiskey, rum or vodka
when legally buying beer or wine? I don't either.

If we regulate, control, and tax the sale and production of marijuana,
we close the gateway to hard drugs.

Kirk Muse, Mesa, AZ