ILLEGAL MARIJUANA IS GOLD MINE FOR CRIMINALS

The legalization of marijuana? Yes or no?

Here are some points not often considered. Hundreds of illegal aliens
together carry tons of marijuana across the border into the California
each year. Trucks and cars drive marijuana across the border into
California daily. They most often deliver their cargo to dealers here,
who are in place to resell to local (retail) dealers. These illegal
aliens do not want us to legalize marijuana. To legalize marijuana
would drop the price per pound from an average of $4,000 now (retail)
down to somewhere around $500 a pound. It would not be worth the risk
even to drive it across the border. All of those who make their living
this way would be out of luck and out of work. To legalize marijuana
would take that opportunity away from these smugglers.

California is well known for its own enormous production of high-grade
marijuana. Thousands of tons are grown here and sold here each year
and also delivered throughout the United States. Marijuana is said to
be by far the biggest cash crop in California. Hundreds of local
"growers" do not want to legalize marijuana. Their crops would
suddenly be worth very little. All the small local dealers right down
to the high school kid who sells to his friends would lose most of the
motivation to sell.

Users of more serious drugs do not want to legalize marijuana. To do
so would free up our police to spend more time on drugs like
methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine -- drugs that have proven to be
detrimental to our society. Alcohol and tobacco companies do not want
us to legalize marijuana.

If we legalize marijuana and tax it about like we do alcohol, it would
soon be an enormous amount of money each year for the state while the
entire "underworld of outlaws" would lose a very large part of their
endeavor. The problem with the laws as they are now is that "illegal
marijuana" is very good business for the outlaw.

You decide in November.

Roy J. Johnson, Redding