Pubdate: Sun, 28 Oct 2007 Source: Advertiser, The (Lafayette, LA) Copyright: 2007 The Lafayette Daily Advertiser Contact: http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=CUSTOMERSERVICE03 Website: http://www.theadvertiser.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1670 Author: Arden A. Anderson COLUMN ON MARIJUANA SHOULD BE A WAKE-UP CALL The Oct. 22 column by Bill Steigerwald regarding the legalization of marijuana has got to be in the top 10 of all-time stupid columns. He cites reports by Jon Gettleman and Ethan Nadlemann who both decry our laws prohibiting the legalization of marijuana. The title of Steigerwald's column is, "Cost of marijuana enforcement and lost taxpayer revenues is $41.8 billion." Of the $41.8 billion, he cites the prospective taxes on marijuana as being $31.1 billion, inferring that our present cost of enforcement is $10.7 billion. This column takes the award for 2007's most stupid. How many highway deaths would take place that were caused by people being stoned on pot? How many potheads would graduate to the bigger highs given by taking heroin and cocaine? With the lid off on pot, the loss of lives and family traumas caused by narcotics sold by the subhuman pushers would escalate exponentially. I urge everyone who has read Steigerwald's column to be on the lookout for both consumers and sellers of drugs and turn them in to the authorities immediately. If this is done, this column that condones the legalization of marijuana will be a wake-up call for all of us and have a positive effect. Arden A. Anderson Lafayette - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman