BLACK MARKET

To the editor:

The dual news stories last week of the Nevada Conference of Police and
Sheriffs first endorsing the proposed Nevada ballot initiative to amend
current marijuana laws and then reversing their stance following NCOPS
President Andy Anderson's resignation ("Police group retracts support of
marijuana," Aug. 10) made for a sad commentary.

In the past 30 years, stringent and harsh criminal sanctions against
responsible adult marijuana use have done nothing to reduce use. Rather they
have helped create the largest criminal black market in the nation outside
of arms and weapons. This criminal market helps fund more dangerous and
violent activities which endanger not only police, but the public they
serve.

Smart, street-wise police know full well the drag that enforcing marijuana
prohibition laws have on their primary mission of protecting and serving the
public. As the departing Anderson stated in his original endorsement of the
initiative, "A single (marijuana) arrest would take anywhere from a couple
of hours to about half my shift ... time that could have been better spent
on the streets addressing violent crime."

More questions need to be asked of the eight NCOPS board members who
backpedaled last week, claiming "confusion" as to what Anderson was asking
them during his telephone survey earlier in the week. Further, close
scrutiny should be used against any and all law officers who campaign
against the initiative on taxpayer time.

Stephen Heath

Clearwater, Florida