VICE TAX POPULAR

I'm writing about Trevor Bullock's thoughtful letter, End Violence,
Legalize Pot (Aug. 10 issue). I've been buying beer and wine for more than
30 years. Yet I've never been offered a free sample of whisky, gin, vodka
or any other type of hard liquor.

However, when I was a marijuana user, which is more than 15 years ago, I
was frequently offered free samples of much more dangerous drugs like
cocaine and meth by my marijuana suppliers. (Back then, meth was called speed).

If we regulate, control and tax the sale and production of marijuana and
sell it in licensed business establishments like we do with tobacco
products, we will close the gateway from marijuana to hard drugs like
cocaine and meth.

Speaking of taxes, it seems to me that non-marijuana users would be very
much in favour of taxing a product that they don't use. Around these parts,
taxing someone else's vice is very popular.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Arizona