MARIJUANA A SAFER CHOICE THAN ALCOHOL

As a retired police officer, I can only add this to Lori Pyter's
thoughtful column on whether to repeal the prohibition of marijuana;
namely public safety is significantly reduced as my profession spends
tens of thousands of hours seeking and arresting people for simple
possession (Perspectives, Dec. 9).

Every hour spent chasing and arresting non-violent smokers in their
homes means less time for the deadly drunken drivers, child molesters
and other serious threats.

Moreover, police officers know from 40 years of experience that
marijuana is a much safer choice than alcohol: safer for the users,
their families and their communities. In my 18 years in uniform, I was
sent to zero calls generated by the use of marijuana. Alcohol
generated about 1,300. We need to stop driving people to drink.

Howard Wooldridge

Merrimac