FOES HAVE PERSONAL INTEREST IN FIGHTING POT

Thank you for the most welcomed, level-headed Oct. 10 editorial
concerning the medical use of marijuana in Michigan.

It's vitally important to note that since passage of the Michigan
Medical Marijuana Act, it isn't the residents crying out for change.
Rather, it is law enforcement leaders, taking their well-publicized
cue from the Drug Enforcement Agency, Michigan Municipal League
insiders and others within in the bureaucracy with a vested interest
in maintaining the status quo concerning any drug prohibition.

Even Bill Schuette, Republican candidate for attorney general, has
made it the platform for his candidacy, when so many other truly
important issues should take precedence.

As the editorial indicated, an overwhelming majority of voters made
their wishes abundantly clear. Yet what has transpired since this law
took effect has been mostly about a disconnect with the will of the
people, and a fear for the impending loss of revenue related to the
war on marijuana that so many in the political/governmental hierarchy
have come to rely on.

A vast empire has been built upon marijuana prohibition, and there
are those who will fight to the bitter end to maintain access to this
most lucrative windfall that no one seems to be accountable for. Each
year in this state alone, millions of dollars are handed out to the
drug prohibitionists under a cloak of darkness. Transparency is non-existent.

While every other public service suffers from a severe lack of
funding, the drug war crowd has taken comfort in knowing that their
bread is well-buttered. That's the crux of this supposed controversy.

David Light

Saginaw