END PROHIBITION, CALIFORNIA

Re "Legalizing is a dangerous choice" (Insight, Aug. 22): San Mateo
Police Chief Susan Manheimer claims that after marijuana is legalized,
drug cartels will continue to profit from selling it. That's ridiculous.

As a former police chief myself (Seattle, 1994-2000), I'd respectfully
like to ask Manheimer to show us the wine cartels that grow grapes in
our national parks to compete with the legal and regulated alcohol
industry.

Back here in reality, of course, we know that once America ended its
failed experiment with alcohol prohibition, violent gangsters were no
longer able to keep selling booze on the black market for a profit.

Similarly, we can drive street dealers out of business when we take
marijuana out of the shadows and place it under the control of safe,
regulated, licensed businesses. Passing Proposition 19 will be good
for police and for citizens who want safer streets. It's the last
thing the drug cartels want.

Norm Stamper, Eastsound, Wash.