LETTER WRITER DISAGREES WITH COLUMN'S PREMISE

I'm writing about Logan Short's not-so-thoughtful article: "Marijuana
poses environmental threat" (10-23-08).

I'd like to ask how much tobacco, the kind that contains nicotine, is
grown in our national forests?

None, because it is legal.

Marijuana is the foundation of our so-called war on drugs. Remove
marijuana from the equation, and the whole drug war will collapse.

The so-called war on drugs is a huge industry and huge bureaucracy.
Victory in the drug war is not possible, nor is it the goal. Victory
in the drug war would mean that the drug war industry and bureaucracy
are out of business.

There are basically two kinds of people who support the so-called war
on drugs: Those who make their livelihood from it. This includes
politicians and bureaucrats who are probably on the payroll of the
drug cartels.

Al Capone had hundreds of politicians and prohibition officials on his
payroll.

Suckers - taxpayers who have bought into the lies and propaganda of
the drug-war industry and bureaucracy.

Suckers - who are willing to deny liberty and freedom to others but
think that their own liberty and freedom will never be in jeopardy.

Suckers - who believe that criminalizing a substance will make it go
away.

Suckers - who think that drug prohibition somehow protects
children.

Suckers - who think that giving criminals control of dangerous drugs
somehow protects children and our society.

Suckers - who think that they live in a free country even though the
United States is the most incarcerated nation in the history of human
civilization.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, AZ