MARIJUANA LEADS TO HARDER DRUG USE

Editor, The News:

This is in response to the letter "It's time to decriminalize
marijuana" (The News, Feb. 10).

If you ask people in active addiction or recovering addicts where
their drug addictions started, they would reply, "Smoking pot."

Marijuana is a gateway drug. We are so concerned about designated
smoking areas because smoking is deemed "unhealthy." Why, then, would
you want to legalize marijuana?

Do you seriously think that if you regulate it, that everyone who
grows it will pay taxes? That there won't be any illegal growing or
sales? You think that it will "crack" organized crime? Reduce gang
activity?

Do you want to see your children or grandchildren freely smoke a joint
in front of you at 15 years old and watch them get high? Drive a car?

Play the tape forward. It's 10 years later and smoking pot doesn't do
it for them anymore. Now they have to shoot heroin or smoke crack to
get the same high. Not to mention that most pot heads are drinkers and
smoke cigarettes - again, more of a drain on our medical system.

Then they need help because their life has become unmanageable.

I don't think our laws are tough enough. That's why our jails are
over-crowded, our courts are so backlogged and police don't have the
power to even shut down crack houses - because there are no great
consequences.

A. Korkowski