WHY THE HARSH PUNISHMENT FOR GROWING MARIJUANA?

Editor:

I'm writing in response to the article, "Marijuana grower sentenced
to 10 years."
(Published on Aug. 1). It looks like the citizens of Arizona are
going to be paying for the room, board and education on how to become
a "real" criminal for Oscar Nunez-Medina, the evil gardener caught
growing the evil natural herb: marijuana.

However, I'm a little confused. Why is it that we severely punish
those who grow the easy-to-grow weed that has never been documented
to kill a single person in the 5,000 years history of its use, yet we
treat tobacco growers and sellers as upstanding and honorable citizens?

Our annual tobacco vs. marijuana kill ratio is about 400,000 to zero
in the U.S. and about 4.5 million to zero worldwide.

Kirk Muse

Mesa