Pubdate: Thu, 30 Aug 2001
Source: USA Today (US)
Copyright: 2001 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc
Contact:  http://www.usatoday.com/news/nfront.htm
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/466
Author: Terry Friedlander

WHY NOT LEGALIZE POT?

Perhaps the most encouraging statistics I've read this year were those in 
the USA TODAY/CNN/ Gallup Poll on Friday showing that 34% of surveyed 
Americans favor the legalization of marijuana ("Marijuana attains record 
support," News).

Opposition was greatest among the elderly, regular churchgoers and Republicans.

As a retired business executive who smoked marijuana during the 1960's and 
1970's and experimented with a few other drugs as well as alcohol and 
tobacco, I would relish the legalization of marijuana--with the same age 
restrictions as alcohol and tobacco--as it has been and remains my drug of 
choice.

Of the many people I know who continue to use marijuana, I am not aware of 
any who have "graduated" to so-called hard drugs.  It remains hypocritical 
to allow alcohol and tobacco to be consumed and not marijuana.

Terry Friedlander
Ketchum, Idaho
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MAP posted-by: Beth