Pubdate: Thu, 8 Jan 2009 Source: Press Democrat, The (Santa Rosa, CA) Copyright: 2009 The Press Democrat Contact: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/348 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n009/a07.html Author: Dennis Hogan LEGALIZE MARIJUANA EDITOR: I read with dismay an article in Sunday's Press Democrat ("Pot growth hurting wilderness") that described the environmental devastation and financial burden caused by large-scale pot farming on public lands by "mostly Mexican . . . drug cartels." We've all heard the warnings about hiking or mushroom hunting on federal and state lands, and, as a taxpayer, I find this completely unacceptable. Folks, it's time to legalize marijuana. Control it as we do alcohol and tobacco, tax it, and let's quit pretending that legalization is going to lead to a nation of potheads. Legalizing alcohol didn't result in a nation of drunkards. For how many decades have we been waging a "war on drugs"? We're not winning. "Systematic occupation of armed foreign nationals . . . " Are you kidding? In California? On our public lands? Completely unacceptable. Dennis Hogan Laytonville - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake