JUST SAY NO TO LAWSUIT

I am not in favor nor against the legalization of marijuana for
recreational use; I don't care one way or the other. However, I do
feel that seriously ill persons should have access to it with a
prescription.

My concern is with the obvious hypocrisy of our government over the
issue and how our tax dollars are being spent. Politicians say the use
of marijuana is "bad," unless the sale of it will generate tax
revenue. On the very same day a raid was being conducted on a local
shop, Green Cross Compassionate Co-Op, an article appeared in The
Californian quoting Gov. Schwarzeneggar as saying he is "open to a
debate" on the issue of legalizing and taxing marijuana. The key word
being "taxing."

I'm also concerned that taxpayer dollars were spent for our local
Federal Drug Enforcement Agency to assist the Sheriff's Department in
the raid of the marijuana co-op. This is especially disturbing since
President Obama indicated that these raids would cease and this stance
was reiterated by the U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder, who called
this discontinuation "American policy."

I certainly hope that our sheriff didn't "shoot from the hip," and
that these arrests were based on solid evidence. As taxpayers we don't
need to pay anymore lawsuits, as I'm sure some Los Angeles attorney is
just waiting for such a precedent-setting harassment case. The last
lawsuit against the Sheriff's Department set us back $6 million.

LAURIE DAVIS

Bakersfield