TWO CENTS: GREAT BRITAIN RECENTLY DECRIMINALIZED MARIJUANA. WHAT DO YOU
THINK OF THE MOVE?

It's about time! Maybe now the Bush Administration will realize their folly
in prosecuting people for marijuana possession, especially in California
and other states where the voters have said that they don't agree with the
federal drug policies regarding marijuana use.

Jody Bloomquist, Castro

England is making a logical decision. There is plenty of evidence regarding
the benefits derived from cannabis, ranging from helping people with
glaucoma to cancer patients. Once you get past the stigma that goes along
with the word "drug" it's amazing that more countries don't decriminalize
this medicinal herb.

Ari Levenfeld, Ingleside

Smart. If we weren't such hypocrites we'd do the same thing here. Instead
we make criminals of users, spend taxpayers' money filling jails and prisons.

Hilda Bernstein, Japantown

That depends. Are they intending to embarrass the U.S. with regards to our
policy? Or are their reasons justified because they don't have quite the
same problem regarding rampant use and abuse as the United States does?
But, most importantly, do they have educational and treatment support
systems in place? If anything, I would think that would be priority one
before legalization can occur.

Dan LaFever, Chinatown

I see it as a very enlightened move by a very civilized society. As long as
alcoholism and its attendant woes (drunk driving injuries and deaths, etc.)
continue to plague us, I find it very hard to justify criminalizing
marijuana. England seems to have taken a sensible path in recognizing the
difference between casual personal use and dealing at a high level. Of
course, there's an inherent hypocrisy here, as the casual users must obtain
the product somewhere.

Perhaps the next logical step is to legalize and tax it, much like alcohol
and tobacco.

Ed Rose, Haight