MISLEADING ARGUMENTS

(Re: "Decriminalizing marijuana won't help society," cover story,
April 16.) In "Legalize it?" John J. Coleman made some misleading
arguments against legalization of marijuana. He implied that the
Supreme Court struck down the Marihuana Tax Act because it generated
little tax revenue. Actually, the Supreme Court was forced to declare
the tax act unconstitutional because it violated the Fifth Amendment
right against self-incrimination (Leary v. United States, 395 US 6,
1969). Yes, that was Dr. Timothy Leary.

Coleman went on to say that chemists will soon be able to "synthesize
the truly beneficial molecules and concentrate them in higher dosage
strengths." First of all, why would anyone want to synthesize
something that already exists in nature? And second, why would anyone
choose to consume a synthetic lab chemical when they could get more
benefit from a naturally occurring plant?

I do agree with Dr. Coleman, however, on the fact that marijuana
would not generate much tax revenue. A marijuana grower who has been
risking felony drug charges for many years is not going to
voluntarily start paying taxes just because the government lowers the
risk to tax evasion.

Brian Quade/Boulder