LEGALIZE POT, AND EVERYONE WINS

Re "Pot house raids expand" (Page A1, Aug. 19): Now is the time to
legalize and tax pot!

It would create legitimate jobs such as growers, distributors,
research, sales and advertising. Taxes could be collected at a similar
rate as tobacco. The efforts used to stop marijuana use and
cultivation could be used to combat real drugs such as
methamphetamine, heroin and prescription misuse.

I have never met a pot head who would destroy his or her entire life
for some bud. I have known too many tweakers who would destroy their
lives along with the lives of their children, parents, siblings and
grandparents to get a fix.

The people in the pot business are varied in their motivation. Some
are trying to make a quick buck that is untaxed; often those people
are committing fraud on our welfare, food stamp and medical programs.
Some people are put in situations where they see no other option, such
as the immigrants that attorney John W. Renwick is defending.

Legalization of pot, a drug that is no more harmful than our other
legal drugs (alcohol and tobacco), would create jobs, prevent fraud,
generate much-needed taxes and free up law enforcement for serious
crimes.

Katie Reed, Sacramento