GOVERNMENT SHOULD CREATE REVENUE STREAM FROM LEGALIZED MARIJUANA

Dear Editor:

After reading the past couple issues of The Pioneer, I see there still
seems to be some debate over the marijuana issue once again. I find it
hard to believe that this naturally-occurring substance is still
beleaguered by this society's narrow-minded prohibition of the plant.

The amount of taxpayer money that is wasted by pursuing and
prosecuting otherwise innocent individuals for partaking in this herb
- - whether for medicinal or recreational use - is a crime in itself.

A.W. Shier's letter commenting that the penalties need to be stiffer
could not be farther from the truth.

In fact, the opposite needs to happen. The obvious solution is the
legalization of the substance and government controls over the growth
and distribution of the crops.

Marijuana is a much less dangerous substance than alcohol. Yet,
alcohol is legal because the government tried prohibiting it and saw
that it did not stop the drinking. It made many criminals wealthy by
providing alcohol for public consumption at a price - which the public
was willing to pay and for which the government saw nothing in revenue
by taxation.

This is an identical problem only in the form of a God-produced,
naturally-occurring plant, instead of a man-made liquid. As they say,
"God made pot and man made booze. Who can you trust?" I will trust in
God over man on this one.

I have never heard of someone smoking a joint of pot and becoming
violent, as can and does happen often with alcohol use. Most of the
time, pot users just become relaxed, mellow and hungry with a
heightened sense of humour, nothing for society to fear. If cancer
patients and sufferers of other diseases and injuries can find relief
in the effects of the substance, why should they not be able to use it
as needed to control their pain or nausea?

In my opinion, the government should take over the industry - at
billions of dollars per year in sales, it is a real industry - and
control it as they do alcohol and turn the current group of illegal
growers from criminals to skilled farmers with a legitimately saleable
crop. Employment is created in every step from the field to the store.
You now have quality control, price control, a built-in distribution
network, and revenues from taxation along with the additional savings
from no longer prosecuting offenders.

Our national deficit could only benefit from this scenario. Organized
crime no longer has the profit; we as taxpayers will receive the
benefit of additional tax revenues into the national coffers.

Some people might suggest that legalizing marijuana will decrease
productivity because everyone will be stoned all the time - hooey.
It's likely to be very similar to alcohol use. Some will not partake;
some will use occasionally; some will use socially; some will use
often and some (the smallest group) will be abusers.

That's human nature and something we are not going to change any time
soon. I used to smoke - and, yes, I inhaled - but, I no longer partake
and I still think legalization is the way to go.

Steven A. Gutsche

Dry Gulch