MARIJUANA 'PROBLEM' WAS CREATED TOTALLY BY OUR GOVERNMENT

Your editorial, "Reservations about medical marijuana" (March 29), seems to
show a lack of both knowledge and understanding of our marijuana
"situation." The illegality of the substance is the only part that is truly
harmful.

It was legal in our country from colonial times to the moment when our
government realized it had a large national police force that was being put
out of work during the depression because our misguided attempt to stop the
use of alcohol had failed.

At that time the government demonized a drug that was being used primarily
by ladies at their afternoon card parties as a tincture obtained from their
pharmacy and mixed into their tea so that our national police force (of
Eliot Ness fame) would have work. That national police force could now
better be used fighting terrorism.

The only problem with legalization is that the capitalists will get us
using as much as possible for their profit, but that can be controlled by
making processing (except of course, drying) illegal.

The problem of marijuana was solely and totally created by our government.
We have the responsibility of resolving that problem in the interests of
our citizens, not our government.

JOHN C. HAGERHORST
McKaig