LEGALIZATION IS THE ONLY ANSWER

To the Editor:

It's commendable that Mendocino County Sheriff, Tom Allman isn't targeting
cannabis (marijuana) patients or their caregiver's cultivation sites
(Letter: Sheriff Discusses Policies, Oct. 10, 2008). It is important to note
however that the sheriff is partly responsible for his list of negative
aspects of cannabis cultivation. Police unions across America lobby, support
and perpetuate cannabis prohibition and its discredited laws.

Damaging the environment, contaminating soils, stealing water, killing
wildlife and livestock, trespassing, threatening law abiding citizens,
draining natural resources and not paying taxes is all due to
prohibition, not honest plant cultivation.

The original prohibition of alcohol had the same associated problems
which don't exist today because alcohol is legal, and regulated. There
is reason to believe legalizing and regulating the relatively safe
God-given plant cannabis would have the same results.

Millions of responsible adult citizens choose to use cannabis and
demand its availability; cannabis is here to stay.

Does Sheriff Allman even realize by supporting cannabis prohibition,
He insures all those associated ills will remain until cannabis is
re-legalized?

And "public safety?" Murder rates declined for 10 years after
repealing the original prohibition.

Stan White

Dillon, Colorado