TO HELP CARTELS, KEEP IT ILLEGAL

On Feb. 23, California Assemblyman Ammiano introduced a bill in
Sacramento to legalize and tax cannabis.

This is terrible legislation, as it would force hard-working Mexican
drug cartels out of business. Instead, legalization would cause this
money to go to the state, depriving entrepreneurs of their income.

Prohibition keeps prices high, and those profits are necessary to buy
the guns and personnel needed to maintain market control. Furthermore,
taxation of cannabis places an undue burden on dealers, who have
historically operated with no regulation or taxation. How will
marijuana remain more accessible to children than alcohol if the only
place you can buy it is from authorized licensed sellers?

With the economy in dark times, the black market stands as a beacon of
light, drawing the young and talented to its ranks. Legalization would
not only deprive the black market of a labor pool, but the prison
industry would lose untold millions due to plummeting incarceration
and recidivism rates. Police resources would be forced to be spent on
actual crimes instead of pursuing Michael Phelps.

For the sake of the drug cartels, kingpins, gangsters, dealers, and
prisons all across America, we mustn't allow this legalization idea to
come to Nevada!

Robert Gonzalez

Carson City