70 YEARS OF ILLEGAL POT ...

Re: "Inconvenient truths about marijuana laws," by Kathleen Parker,
Tuesday Viewpoints.

Bravo to Ms. Parker for cutting through the mean-spirited frenzy
surrounding Al Gore III's arrest and showing the true hypocrisy in
our ineffective, arbitrary war on marijuana users.

This summer marks the 70th anniversary of the first national ban, the
Marijuana Tax Act. Thanks to such laws, we have turned at least 15
million Americans - mostly responsible, law-abiding citizens - into criminals.

Small wonder that a law passed amid the hysteria of Reefer Madness.
Racist tales of jazz musicians gone mad with rage under the influence
of drugs should continue to thrive under a cloud of misinformation
and state-sponsored fear mongering.

Dan Bernath, Marijuana Policy Project, Washington