WE SHOULD REGULATE AND TAX MARIJUANA, AS WITH ALCOHOL

I'm writing regarding a recent article ["Pot laws have failed us--and hurt
Virginia," Aug. 14].

I've been buying beer and wine for more than 30 years. Yet I've never been
offered a free sample of whiskey, gin, vodka, or any other type of hard liquor.

However, when I was a marijuana user--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 and put a
lot of money into our tax coffers in the process.

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

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.

Date published: 8/24/2005