LEGALIZE POT TO END GROWING PROBLEM

Your Friday editorial about Mexican drug cartels growing marijuana in
the hills of Butte County was rather irrational.

First, the misleading headline ("Marijuana not 'harmless' drug")
implied that marijuana was harmful. Nothing whatsoever was said in the
editorial as to any actual negative effects of marijuana. Of course,
if you're looking for documented harm, there's almost nothing to find.

Second, with all your "rally behind the troops" cheerleading, you seem
to totally ignore why the cartels and other criminal elements are
involved in farming marijuana -- honest citizens are not allowed to
grow it. Want to get rid of the cartel elements (as well as most of
the financing for street gangs)? Then allow the legal and regulated
production of marijuana. Then our law enforcement people can do
something meaningful.

We tried an ill-fated experiment in the '20s that was a godsend to
organized crime -- it was called Prohibition. Fortunately, we came to
our senses after a few years and did away with it. How long will it
take us, and how many lives will be needlessly lost, until we do away
with Prohibition II?

Tom Kuykendall, Oroville