LEGALIZE CANNABIS

Warren Hale's community column ("Evidence piles up on failure of drug
war," July 16) told it like it is. A failed 40-year drug war has cost
over $1 trillion. Its result is over 900,000 persons incarcerated for
marijuana use, abuse and sales. The abuse is when alcohol is used
with it. The vast majority of people are in for personal use, not for dealing.

Family lives are affected. Unrelated citizen deaths have occurred
during raids gone wrong. People lose jobs. Homes, vehicles and money
are confiscated. Students are unable to obtain education loans. All
for the use of marijuana.

The cannabis plant has never caused a death by overdose. Alcohol,
however, causes more than 80,000 direct deaths, 17,000 vehicular
deaths and 500,000 injuries annually. A June 22 article in this
newspaper reported tobacco causes about 443,000 deaths annually.

Our youth say they have easier access to cannabis/marijuana than
alcohol. Legalization, regulation and taxation would help keep the
product from our youth and help our nation's budget problem.

Petition 19 -- now being circulated -- would allow cannabis/marijuana
to be used for its medical properties and its tall brother hemp
(currently imported) to be cultivated for personal, manufacturing and
industrial products, as well as for biofuel.

Wayne Whitmarsh, Lincoln