QUINN'S ARGUMENT LACKS FORESIGHT

The recent My Turn column from Addison County prosecutor John Quinn
("Is legalizing marijuana a good idea?" Jan. 13) displays an amazing
lack of foresight. He argues that marijuana must remain illegal for
adults so that we can protect our children from this supposedly evil
weed. By his logic, since we do not want our children to consume
alcohol or tobacco we should also make the adult consumption of these
items illegal.

If outlawing marijuana for adults keeps it away from children, then
outlawing alcohol for adults would surely keep this out of the hands
of children as well. Mr. Quinn further opines that marijuana should
remain illegal because it makes one lazy. No scientific study has
ever validated the existence of marijuana-induced Amotivational
Syndrome but let us assume this is true. Again, by Mr. Quinn's logic,
we should outlaw television and video games, the very embodiment of
laziness. Mr. Quinn also implies that we need to keep marijuana
illegal because we want to promote healthy lifestyles for our
children. Does that mean we should outlaw all of the unhealthy things
that children have access to now? Would Mr. Quinn seriously consider
criminalizing soda, candy, and hamburgers so as to make it easier for
our children to make healthy choices?

In 1933, our ancestors came to their senses and realized that the
prohibition of alcohol actually made it easier for children to obtain
and funded criminal empires that arose to supply a product demanded
by many people. Hopefully, our generation will come to a similar
understanding with marijuana.

MATHEW HOGG

Burlington