MARIJUANA: TREAT ADDICTION AS PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE

I read with great interest the recent article "The marijuana debate."
I found it curious that all of the professional experts who spoke out
against legalizing and regulating marijuana earn their living off of
the war on drugs. Since half of those arrested in Alabama on drug
charges are arrested for marijuana offenses, if it were legalized, we
might need the drug warriors only half as much.

These "experts" told a slew of lies and half-truths they cannot back
up. I was particularly offended by Jason Murray's comments about
Europe. He said: "Amsterdam has more addicts living on the street than
any other city in Europe or the world. It is a massive draw on their
society over there."

In my experience, European cities, including Amsterdam, can't hold a
candle to Washington, Atlanta and even Birmingham when it comes to
indigent, drug-addicted people living on the streets.

Prohibition and prisons don't cure addiction. Many countries around
the world realize this and are taking on addiction as a public-health
issue, not a law enforcement issue. How enlightened!

John Jenkins

Hoover