WHY NOT MAKE MARIJUANA LEGAL?

I'm writing in response to The News' article about the indoor
marijuana operation police recently discovered. The article said an
operation like that could generate $1 million a year. Jefferson County
Sheriff Mike Hale said, "It would be impressive if it was a legitimate
business."

Well, why not make it a legitimate business?

There has been a bill submitted every year since 2004 to the Alabama
Legislature calling for the legalization of medicinal marijuana. There
are many people who could benefit from this legitimate business.

People who use marijuana as a medicine could benefit from it, just
like they do in 12 other states. This legitimate business could create
jobs and revenue. This revenue could help pay off our enormous sewer
debt, and it could possibly get Hale more officers to go after real
criminals.

The violent crimes the article mentioned, such as home invasions,
arsons and homicides (they forgot to mention kidnapping), are the
results of prohibition and the money being made from the black market,
not the results of someone who has ingested the herb.

Dawn Palmer

Tarrant