Pubdate: Tue, 05 Feb 2002
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2002 The New York Times Company
Contact:  http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n145/a06.html

OUTDATED MARIJUANA LAWS

To the Editor:

The fact that there never has been and never will be a drug-free society is 
perhaps the strongest argument for taxing and regulating the sale of 
marijuana to adults ("Marijuana's Effects: More Than Munchies," Jan. 29).

There will always be a small segment of the population predisposed to 
excessive drug use. I personally know alcoholics who have turned their 
lives around by putting down the bottle and picking up the marijuana pipe. 
They may still have a substance abuse problem, but now they can get out of 
bed without hangovers and lead productive lives.

Outdated marijuana laws do far more harm than the plant itself. Imagine how 
many lives would be ruined if every alcoholic were thrown in jail and given 
a permanent criminal record.

ROBERT SHARPE, Washington
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