MISGUIDED EDITORIAL

Dear Editor:

Re: "No pot of gold" (Sept. 6 editorial).

I'm dismayed that you rebuff the Canadian Senate report to legalize
marijuana so easily.

The Senate spent two solid years studying the marijuana issue and it came
out with fine recommendations. Your embrace of marijuana decriminalization
is misguided and here are some reasons.

With decriminalization, the smuggling and illegal sales of marijuana will
continue, at underground black market prices, possibly feeding "terrorist"
organizations.

Marijuana and hashish is produced in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon and
other nations with radical Muslim groups. There is a strong chance you'll
be funding these groups and their next terror attack.

With decriminalization, you encourage people to break the law to get their
marijuana and you create a group of traffickers or growers to supply the
needs and desires of your citizens for marijuana.

This creates a vast underground of lawbreakers and a disdain for your "rule
of law."

All unfounded, immoral laws, will be broken, as evidenced by the widespread
use of marijuana.

The untaxed monies made from illegal marijuana sales will most likely be
invested into other illegal ventures to avoid the long arm of the tax man.

With the underground market for marijuana still intact, your children will
still gain access to marijuana. It is only through the elimination of the
black market that we can hope to keep kids from gaining access to drugs
before their proper age.

There are many more reasons, but I'd ask you to think about these and
reconsider your position.

Kim Hanna, Worcester, Mass.