WHAT WORKS IN THE NETHERLANDS CAN WORK HERE

I'm responding to Norm Jackson's not-so-thoughtful op-ed, "Legalizing
marijuana makes no sense" (June 17). In the Netherlands, where
marijuana has been quasi legal for several decades, the Dutch use
marijuana at less than half the rate Americans do. And they use heroin
at less than a third the rate Americans do ( see
drugwarfacts.org/thenethe.htm ).

I submit it makes no sense, economic or moral, to jail or imprison
marijuana users or sellers. 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.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.