NO REASON TO CRIMINALIZE POT

I'm writing about "Wrong reason to legalize pot" (Other Views,
Editorial page, Jan. 20).

I'd like to add that it makes no sense, economic or moral, to jail or
imprison marijuana users or sellers. Our jails and prisons should be
reserved for those who harm others against their will -- not marijuana
users, sellers or growers.

We don't jail or imprison those who produce, sell or use tobacco
products, even though tobacco is a highly addictive and very deadly
product.

We don't have criminals growing tobacco in clandestine
locations.

We don't have tobacco producers or sellers attempting to settle their
disputes with each other with gun battles in the streets.

If we were to criminalize tobacco, the situation would
change.

We learned our lesson about criminalizing the drug alcohol in only 13
years. Why can't we learn the same lesson about marijuana?

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.