MARIJUANA AND HEALTH

Re "Health gets lost in pot debate," Oct. 10

Groups pushing to legalize marijuana are not claiming the drug is
harmless. Indeed, many believe any harm associated with marijuana is
an argument for taxing and regulating it.

Surveys indicate that teens can more readily purchase marijuana than
buy alcohol. Instead of hoping that drug dealers will "card" their
customers and not offer them more dangerous drugs, let's implement a
system we know works: tax and regulate for adult use.

Neither have legalization groups lost sight of the health effects of
marijuana use. It's just that the harm associated with a drug, food or
activity is insufficient reason for prohibiting it. Thus, alcohol,
tobacco, unprotected sex and never exercising are all legal.

Sarah Lovering

Venice