TAXING LEGAL MARIJUANA A LUCRATIVE PROPOSITION

RCMP Sgt. Scott Rintoul makes a poor case for the continued
prohibition of marijuana.

He suggests legalization means we'll give pot to our children, and
their brains are not ready for that. He argues most folks don't use
alcohol or smoke, so they should not have the right to use marijuana
either -- it is addictive.

Who among those who espouse legalization of drugs has advocated
giving it to kids? Alcohol is legal, and no one says we should give it to kids.

Tobacco and alcohol are addictive, as are many prescription drugs and
gambling. Yet they are all legal and our governments earn millions in
taxes from them.

Rintoul then points out that billions of dollars are being made by
those now in the illegal marijuana industry. Well, that is the point!

Why can't our governments get their hands on that money instead of
gangsters who shoot up our streets fighting over it?

His last ridiculous allegation was that legalization would mean the
gangsters retain control, but with a new legal right to grow and sell
their product. Is he suggesting owners and operators of private
liquor stores are such people?

If Rintoul's case is all there is, we better legalize marijuana now.

Mavis Lowry

Vancouver