POT BUSTS SHOULD BE LOW PRIORITY

I appreciated the Jan. 10 Register-Guard article by reporter Tim
Christie, "High time for marijuana." While the article demonstrates
that indeed there is some sanity about the cannabis issue, I must
point out some of the ongoing insanity still surrounding this
beneficent plant.

On Jan. 11, The Register-Guard ran a front-page article on the lack of
funding for property crime investigation. How is it, then, that we can
afford sending 50 officers to raid a home (the raid at Fifth Avenue
and Adams Street last October) for an alleged illegal cannabis growing
operation? Is pot more dangerous than a growing and unchecked crime
wave?

My supposition is that the anti-pot impetus is being forced upon us by
the feds. The Drug Enforcement Administration is very active currently
in Oregon, working to help us eliminate the evil weed from our homes
and gardens. The same federal government, working so diligently to
protect us from terrorism, had 50 FBI agents in Michigan chasing two
cannabis activists less than two weeks before Sept. 11.

In Washington state, medical cannabis user Monica Ginn is on trial for
growing the plant, yet is being denied, by the judge in the case, the
ability to mention her medical necessity.

I could go on, but I hope my point is made. Some serious changing of
priorities must occur.

Allan Erickson

Eugene