MESSAGES

I'm writing about Christopher Largen's thoughtful letter: "War
Profiteering" [Dec 28].

Instead of attempting to nullify the immutable law of supply and
demand, our government should regulate, control and tax marijuana. We
could easily tax marijuana at about 90 percent of its retail price.
The vast majority of marijuana's current price is the result of the
"prohibition tax," which goes to criminals--the government gets nothing.

It seems to me that non-marijuana users would be in favor of taxing a
product that they don't use. Around here, taxing somebody else's vice
is very popular.

Of course, many will proclaim that regulating, controlling and taxing
the sale of marijuana will "send the wrong message" to our children.

But what message are we now sending to our children now by regulating,
controlling and taxing the sale of tobacco products and alcohol?

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.