CANNABIS SHOULD BE LEGAL

Regarding the article, "Vernonia buzzing over pot penalty" (July 14),
when last asked (1998), Oregonians overwhelmingly opposed the
recriminalization of less than an ounce of marijuana (more properly
referred to as cannabis). We defeated the Legislature's
recriminalization bill by a majority in every county, including
Columbia County.

More Oregonians voted against recriminalizing cannabis than voted for
Gov. John Kitzhaber, at a time when his popularity was demonstrated
in his landslide re-election victory.

Second, cannabis prohibition has done much more harm than cannabis
use. Adults using cannabis responsibly do not put our children at
risk. Prohibition and the resultant arrests, prosecution and
forfeitures do much more harm to our children and families than
cannabis itself ever could.

Leland R. Berger

Northeast Portland