BEER CASH

To the editor:

Major kudos to Vin Suprynowicz for his outstanding column, " 'Relax your
muscles as much as possible' " (Oct. 27) about the brutal reality of prison
rape for those sent to jail or prison for marijuana violations.

I note with special interest the quote from drug policy scholar Matthew
Elrod: "When cannabis (marijuana) use goes up, alcohol use goes down ... "

I'm sure this has not escaped the notice of manufactures of beer and other
alcoholic beverages. Perhaps our counter-productive policies of marijuana
prohibition continue in large part because of the multimillion-dollar
contributions from the beer industry into the campaign coffers and pockets
of our politicians.

Perhaps? Perhaps, perhaps is the wrong word.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.