WHERE IS THE THEFT?

Editor:

The author of the Nov 15 opinion piece "Growing Pot Costs Taxpayers"
states: "It is estimated that 80 per cent of all property crimes are
drug-related as addicts must steal to feed their drug habit..."

I would like to hear a source for this estimate, as I highly doubt it
is based on anything but wild speculation. Assuming, however, that
this is a factual claim, the answer is a simple one: marijuana, if
legalized, will be 1/10th the cost of the current street price.

Even citizens with a heavy pot habit will find themselves able to keep
themselves supplied with far less expenditure; therefore, we can
expect these supposed drug-related burglaries to stop almost
completely. In other words, Mr. McCarthy is telling us that legalizing
pot will reduce burglary by 80 per cent. Now that's a glowing
endorsement if I've ever heard one.

Adam Wiggins Director, Neoteric, http://www.neoteric.nu Pasadena,
CA