LEGALIZATION IS A HOOT

Re "Everybody must get stoned?" by R.V. Scheide

Thanks for the levity this morning. You've highlighted the absurdity
of the current fears behind the prohibition movement (Visine, munchies-heh).

I must take exception, however with your ultimate conclusion. If, on
the one hand, you merely argue for reflection in order to preserve
the culture of compassion, then who can argue with that? But to
reduce the current tidal wave against prohibition as simply another
California gold rush (green rush?) is to grossly simplify and to
really miss the point.

To be sure, cannabis legalization will not be a panacea, but the
current state of affairs cannot continue. We've had nearly a hundred
years of cannabis prohibition, and the costs just keep escalating.
Anyone truly interested in preserving the culture of compassion
should reflect for a moment on the other worthy venues that could
benefit from the $40 billion we waste annually on prohibition. The
responsible, measured and already thought-out response to our present
quagmire known as the "war on drugs" (more correctly, a war against
U.S. cities and citizens) is to stop wasting our resources on
nonviolent so-called crime.

No one dies from consuming marijuana, but many police officers do die
in the line of duty as they pursue the black-market operators created
by the prohibition movement. What would one concerned with preserving
a culture of compassion say about needlessly discarding our brave law
enforcement officers?

To your point: Just because some stand to gain money from legalized
cannabis, medical or otherwise, let's not dismiss the cause for
ending prohibition. There's nothing wrong with a little
entrepreneurial activity, especially if we can cut costs at the same
time. The time to end cannabis prohibition is now.

Lance Farrell via e-mail