END TOKE(N) OPPOSITION TO MARIJUANA PROPOSITION

Dear Editor,

I had more respect for the Nevada police when they supported the marijuana
initiative. I thought it took a lot of guts to come out for legal marijuana
(regarding "Smoke Signals: This Time, Reefer Rebels Not So Dazed And
Confused," Spin column, by Joe Schoenmann, Aug. 15).

Now due to politics, the police backpedal. Does everything in America have
to be about politics? Can't the Nevada police vote and speak their
conscience without America's political establishment dropping a ton of
bricks on them?

Regardless of the police endorsement, the marijuana initiative is a good
policy change for Nevada, especially in light of the great threat from
terrorism. I don't want Nevada police wasting their time busting a pot
smoker that's not causing any trouble.

Nevada police say a pot bust can take up to one half of their work shift.
We pay these highly trained and motivated police to waste one-half their
work shift on a pot bust. That borders on moronic. I want the cops guarding
the money machines of Nevada, the casinos against terror attack. Or
stopping violent crime like rape and assault or robbery. One biological
terror attack on a casino could shut down a city and cripple the state with
tourist fears.

Most people are aware that marijuana is a mild relaxant and for the most
part causes very few problems. Just ask the police. We need to move away
from the mindset of the 1930s that caused the hysteria against marijuana
and move to allow adults the choice to use marijuana. Just like many years
ago, Nevada gave people a choice to gamble. The state and the country
didn't fall apart then and it won't now. If the law doesn't work, you can
amend your constitution down the road.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Kim Hanna

Worcester, Mass.