FIGHTING MARIJUANA VOTE IGNORES THE REALITIES

November 15, 2008 The majority has spoken to decriminalize cannabis
(marijuana), and two statements in your Nov. 7 story "Marijuana not
(quite) legal" exemplify the reasoning behind it.

First, Sheriff James Cummings must realize it doesn't matter if it's
unprofitable to stop caging responsible adults for using the plant;
stop anyway. Second, how on earth does a chief executive officer of a
treatment center continue to believe cannabis is a "gateway drug" when
historically nearly every study, including those conducted by the
government, discredits the theory?

The logic used to perpetuate cannabis prohibition has more holes in it
than moldy Swiss cheese. The law enforcement community and its unions,
along with treatment centers that profit from forcing responsible
cannabis users into treatment to avoid jail, need to deal with it.

Further, for the Massachusetts Legislature to repeal 65 percent of the
voting citizenry's decision would expose a sad anti-American mistake.

Stan White

Dillon, Colo.