WAR ON DRUGS: PROHIBITION STRENGTHENS POT

This is in response to Monday's "Expert Opinion" (Today's marijuana
stronger than pot of the 1960s," Health section).

The article mentions an increase in young people abusing prescription
drugs. Is anyone surprised by that? Hey, at least they aren't smoking
evil pot, right? Great job, government. Demonize the one natural plant
that can't possibly kill our kids or anyone else and constantly
advertise to kids the nifty little pharmaceutical drugs that will kill
them. They're OK, right? They came from a government-licensed
pharmacy, after all.

Speaking of pot, addiction expert Beth Gregory drags out the tired,
old argument that this is not your father's marijuana, saying it's
more potent and can be laced with other illicit drugs. What she and
others fail to see is that increased strength and adulterated products
are a direct result of the prohibitionist laws they support.

Back during alcohol Prohibition, people went from drinking beer and
wine to drinking whiskey. Why? Because whiskey was more concentrated,
stronger and easier to smuggle and hide from the "revenuers." It's no
different with illicit drugs.

During Prohibition, we also had bathtub gin and gut-rot whiskey that
would kill people or make them go blind. Adulterated marijuana is a
direct result of drug prohibition. With no market or safety
regulations in place, you never know what you'll get. Whenever
something is driven underground, this is what happens.

If you are a supporter of drug prohibition, you are getting exactly
what you asked for.

Loretta Nall

Alexander City