DRUG LAW HAVOC

Your article ("AG Reilly slams idea to soften penalties," Feb. 15)
makes it clear that, for him, "politics is not my strong suit." In
fact, voters in 77 Massachusetts cities and towns have supported the
decriminalization of marijuana in public policy questions since 2000.

What precisely is the message Reilly wants to send? Under current
law thousands of teens have been denied Pell grants, college loans
and scholarships because they have this petty drug arrest on their
records. Their chance to straighten up and make something of their
lives is denied by his retribution. Police and courts are tied up
instead of protecting us. A study by Boston University Economist
Jeffrey Miron estimates that marijuana possession arrests and court
processing costs for the state at $24.3 million a year. Reilly seems
to be running on "good jobs at good wages," at least for his
cronies. But even if he can't count votes or media reaction, he will
have to accept fiscal, economic and moral responsibility for the
havoc created by our current drug laws.