THE TRUTH ABOUT CANNABIS

(Re: "Amendment 44," Vote 2006, Oct. 12) Hats off to Boulder Weekly for
acknowledging the truth about cannabis. Marijuana isn't harmless, and the
proponents of Amendment 44 do not claim that it is. However, pot's relative
risks to the user and society are less than those of alcohol and do not
warrant the continued arrest of more than 780,000 Americans on marijuana
charges every year.

Data released this week by the U.S. Department of Justice report that
nearly one in eight drug prisoners in America are behind bars for
marijuana-related offenses. This means that an estimated 45,000 state
and federal prisoners are now behind bars for pot. Incarcerating these
individuals costs U.S. taxpayers more than $1 billion annually.

According to government statistics, approximately 80 million Americans
self-identify as having used cannabis at some point in their lives,
and relatively few acknowledge having suffered significant deleterious
health effects due to their use. America's public policies should
reflect this reality, not deny it. Coloradans this November have an
opportunity to do so by voting "yes" on Amendment 44.

Paul Armentano,

Senior Policy Analyst,

NORML Washington, D.C.