MANY BENEFITS FROM LEGALIZING MARIJUANA

Regarding the Sept. 30 letter by Thomas Ellis, "No justification for
continuing war on marijuana," I agree that the war on marijuana is
fruitless, destructive and immoral.

However, Ellis misrepresented marijuana's harms or potential harms.
Marijuana (as well as caffeine and other legal or politically correct
drugs) can exacerbate mental health problems. And, believe me, this is
much more serious than many think.

Ironically, in the federal government's tyrannical oppression of
marijuana smokers, drug warriors fictionalize marijuana's harms, but
fail to discuss some potentially legitimate problems with marijuana.

Perhaps a legal market for the drug would have better informed the
public about legitimate dangers. Given the issue of liability in a
free market, I suspect so.

Ellis is correct in noting that marijuana's greatest harm is its
illegality and adulteration. The plant should absolutely be legal
because its illegality corrupts law enforcement, creates a dangerous
black market, marginalizes and devastates the lives of otherwise
law-abiding folks, and represses legitimate discussions on how to deal
with drug use and abuse, and its attendant problems.

CHAD THEVENOT
Washington, D.C.

Checked-by: Rich O'Grady