FROM DOPE TO HOPE: LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

Those who, like Lori Green in her recent letter, would say that
"marijuana is not harmless" find little if any support for their
opinions in the arena of medical science. Instead they, like those who
made marijuana illegal in the first place, engage in the dubious
tactic of guilt by association.

The history of marijuana prohibition reveals that it was more about
fears of subversion of middle-class white youth by African and
Hispanic elements of the poorer classes. Harry Anslinger couldn't stop
the spread of their "Voodoo music" but as chief of the Bureau of
Narcotics, he could stop the spread of their drug of choice --
marijuana. The laughable propaganda posters from that era of "reefer
madness" erroneously linking marijuana with "murder, insanity and
death" have decorated the walls of adolescents' bedrooms for
generations since, proof positive that adults are stupid and not to be
trusted.

As the mother of three teenage children, I can tell you that kids
don't drop out of school because of marijuana. Rather, they drop out
because of an irrelevant and disengaging curriculum and because they
see even those with advanced college degrees going jobless in today's
economy.

And speaking of the economy, the California Board of Equalization
estimates that if Proposition 19 passes this fall, the proceeds from
taxing marijuana could exceed $1.4 billion a year! Ending marijuana
prohibition would take that money out of the pockets of violent drug
cartels and street gangs and put it into the creation of legitimate
and sustainable jobs. In addition, the development of support
industries and the likely increase in tourism to the nation's first
"pot friendly" state could do wonders for our economy and thus for the
future of our young people. I say let's give it a try!

Debbie Remmers

Yucca Valley