THE JURY IS STILL OUT ON LEGALIZING POT

The following letters were received in response to The Sun's four
editorials about marijuana last week.

At last I read an editorial opinion that truly examines -- and questions --
our present laws and policies about the production and use of marijuana.

Anybody who has even superficially studied the consequences of alcohol
prohibition in the 1930s must realize that we must move in the opposite
direction. "Tax and control" must replace "forbid and punish." The latter
doesn't work anyway, so why not spend those resources on education and
rehabilitation?

Not that I regard marijuana as harmful or addictive as alcohol, but any
mind-altering substance should be accompanied by facts about its possible
debilitating effects on mind and body.

My wife and I partake of a medicinal glass or two of wine at dinner each
night, but don't use other drugs and are grateful that prohibiting them was
long ago discarded as unenforceable.

Al Whiteford

Courtenay