LET'S REGULATE POT LIKE ALCOHOL

Like many of you I gave up marijuana in the 1970s. As a bail bondsman
for 25 years I'll tell you the truth: Marijuana (pot) is everywhere
and is here to stay.

The simple truth is that anyone who wishes to possess it,
recreationally or medicinally, will still have access to it regardless
of any legislative action (duh); to believe otherwise is very naive.
Uncle Sam is missing a golden opportunity to tax its farming,
packaging, licensed pubs, etc.

The monies made could help us out of this recession and save Medicare
and Social Security. It would employ millions, via distributorships,
trucking, etc. In other words regulate it like alcohol. Huge
objectives here could be accomplished.

It would be harder for your 14-year-old to get it. It would close down
many of the cartels who ship pot into this country by the tons. It
would save many lives lost over battles for turf whether it be
homeland gangs, Mexican cartels, and even the lives of the U.S. border
patrol.

The money we'd save bottlenecking our courtrooms, jails and prisons
could be used to educate our kids on not only pot, but the truly
dangerous drugs as well. We could also use these excess funds to send
our DEA, DTF and FBI to catch the big fish such as the meth, crack and
heroin dealers that truly destroy our society.

Before you write and say I'm crazy, ask yourself these questions: Who
really benefited during alcohol prohibition? Are the current laws
effectively stopping anyone who is steadfast on using pot? Where do
you want the millions of dollars spent daily in the U.S. for marijuana
and the thousands of jobs to go? Would you rather it go to the drug
cartels, the black market, or to you and me, the U.S. taxpayer?

Scott Restvedt

Belgrade