REGULATE POT LIKE WINE

I'm sorry to hear that Phil Drake's neighborhood is troubled by secret
marijuana growing operations ("Residential pot busts becoming
chronic," April22). There's a reason this is happening, and there's an
easy way to stop it.

When was the last time you heard of suburban homes being used to
secretly grow wine grapes? There's no need because wine production is
legally regulated. We should treat marijuana the same way.

A recent study found that marijuana is California's number one cash
crop, despite decades of "eradication" efforts. These futile law
enforcement efforts simply guarantee that marijuana will be produced
in the riskiest possible conditions.

Let's regulate marijuana like alcohol.

Bruce Mirken

Marijuana Policy Project

Washington, D.C.