Pubdate: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 Source: Register-Guard, The (OR) Copyright: 2007 The Register-Guard Contact: http://www.registerguard.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/362 Author: Allan Erickson Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n192/a05.html?319818 STATE SHOULD END POT PROHIBITION Kudos to The Register-Guard for printing Jim Greig's outstanding Feb. 16 guest viewpoint, "Marijuana more than medicinal." The people of Oregon can't help but benefit by moving away from blind adherence to a federal policy built upon racism, xenophobia and a corrupted moral and legal foundation. It is the prohibition of cannabis which makes it so valuable that patients get robbed and assaulted for their gardens. All across the western states, criminal gangs and syndicates invade our national parks and forests growing huge farms of pot. Marijuana is now the No. 1 agricultural commodity produced in the United States, with a harvest worth an estimated $36 billion - without any taxes collected. Without any controls on distribution or limits on the age of consumers, the criminals reap the only benefit. We Oregonians are intelligent enough to recognize stupid when it stands right in front of us. Prohibition failed once with alcohol. It has failed again with cannabis. Oregon should be the first state to end the stupidity of Prohibition II. Allan Erickson, Eugene - --- MAP posted-by: Derek