LEGALIZE CANNABIS SO IT CAN BE TAXED AND REGULATED

Taxing and regulating cannabis similar to alcohol would generate
needed income for the state and local governments of Illinois. Why are
we arresting otherwise law-abiding citizens for their recreational use
of cannabis? Isn't this a free country?

Arresting responsible marijuana users wastes tax dollars. The 70-year
cannabis prohibition needs to be repealed. Taxing responsible
marijuana users could provide needed funds for the government.

Responsible users are not the problem and should not be punished.
There will be those who break laws while under the influence of
cannabis, and they should be punished if they broke the law. Being
high is no better an excuse than being drunk.

Alcohol prohibition did not work. It led to an increase in organized
crime and did not deter its use. Similarly, cannabis prohibition is
not working. Why don't we end cannabis prohibition and allow our
citizens to use it responsibly, just like they are allowed to use
alcohol responsibly?

Most who want to keep marijuana illegal do so to protect children, and
that is a very noble cause. However, adults should be allowed to
consume cannabis responsibly, yet there should be age limits on its
use like there are with other substances that we try to protect
children from.

It is not the government's place to protect its citizens from
willingly using a substance that has not one documented overdose
fatality and is safer than many commonly available substances. Plus,
drug dealers do not card children when they buy cannabis. But if it
were sold like alcohol or tobacco, the retailer would need age
verification and face penalties for noncompliance.

End cannabis prohibition; tax and regulate marijuana.

Dan Linn

Chicago

Dan Linn is executive director of the Illinois National Organization
to Reform Marijuana Laws.