CUTTING OFF CANNABIS STOKES DRUG PROBLEMS

In reference to the Dec. 21 front-page story, "Cocaine threat growing":

What percentage of America's drug problem is due to prohibiting the
relatively safe, socially acceptable, God-given plant cannabis (marijuana)?

Cannabis hasn't killed anyone in more than 5,000 years of documented
use, yet it is classified as a Schedule I substance along with
heroin, while methamphetamine and cocaine are only Schedule II substances.

How many youths and adults try cannabis and realize it's not nearly
as harmful as taught in DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education)-type
government environments? Then they think other substances must not be
so bad either, only to become addicted to deadly drugs.

Prohibiting cannabis, which is safer than beer, wine or whiskey,
places the plant's sales in the hands of the same people who often
sell highly addictive and deadly substances, which undoubtedly causes
increased addiction rates.

Our government sells out U.S. citizens by accepting the arguments of
lobbyists for prisons and the private prison industry, who for their
own interests say that we should continue persecuting cannabis users.
That relationship must end.

Cannabis even has a history of helping people escape hard drug
addictions, which makes it valuable; that's an argument for it's
legalization in itself.

The existence of cannabis prohibition is also due to the media, which
have historically parroted the government's "Reefer Madness" farce.

Media should know better today.

It's time to legalize cannabis again. A sane argument to continue
caging responsible citizens for using the plant doesn't exist.

Stan White

Dillon, Colo.