Pubdate: Mon, 11 Jun 2007 Source: Press Democrat, The (Santa Rosa, CA) Copyright: 2007 The Press Democrat Contact: http://www.pressdemo.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/348 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n690/a04.html Author: Dale Gieringer POT PUT-DOWN EDITOR: Just because marijuana legalization is beyond the short-sided agenda of our present backwards government is no reason to pooh-pooh it, anymore so than gay rights, renewable energy or peace in the Mideast. Even if, as you state in Thursday's editorial, marijuana is not always healthful, that hardly distinguishes it from alcohol, tobacco, junk food, gambling, guns or countless other everyday products that Americans are free to consume. What does distinguish it is the fact that it and its users have been singled out for suppression and persecution at taxpayer expense, thereby creating a criminal market. DALE GIERINGER State director, California NORML National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake