POT DECRIMINALIZATION CLAIM IS FALSE

Regarding David Tiebel's Aug. 27 article about Prop. 203, and Samuel
Vagenas' quote that Ohio has decriminalized minor possession of marijuana:
That statement could not be more false. I have been a police officer in
Ohio since 1965. My officers routinely arrest or cite individuals they
discover possessing any amount of marijuana, including residue found in the
pipe bowls of those found carrying it. The offense is classified as a
criminal offense. Very small amounts are minor misdemeanors. There is a
maximum fine in these cases of $100. I have never heard of a civil offense
in this instance in the state of Ohio. I support my fellow law enforcement
professionals in the state of Arizona. Don't buy the lie.

- - DAVID J. HYSLOP Chief of Police Chardon, Ohio

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PROP. 203 FOES ARE OFF BASE

Regarding the Aug. 27 Citizen article, "Officers, officials speak out vs.
Prop. 203": I sure hope the top local law officers who joined Arizona
Diamondbacks vice president and general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. to speak
out against Proposition 203 aren't doing it on the public's dime. That
would seem to be illegal. Voters should not "buy the lies" and the hysteria
that Garagiola and company are spouting in opposition to Prop 203.
Proposition 203 is a prudent measure based on a changing world. We now know
that marijuana prohibition causes much more harm than marijuana ever will.
Seems to me that Garagiola ought to get back to baseball before the sport
collapses, and the law enforcement officials ought to get back to job one:
serving and protecting, instead of fear mongering over a sensible
proposition that deserves the votes of Arizonans this November.

- - GARY STORCK Madison Wis.

POLICE, POLITICIANS ARE PROBLEMS

How many times have you heard a cop say: I don't make the laws, I just
enforce them? If You don't like the laws, change them? Prohibitionist cops
and politicians are the problem in society, not cannabis.

- - STAN WHITE Dillon, Col.