Pubdate: Fri, 6 Nov 2009
Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL)
Copyright: 2009 St. Petersburg Times
Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/letters/
Website: http://www.tampabay.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/419
Author: John Kincaid

CORRECT THE MISTAKE

Marijuana prohibition was unjust since the beginning. With
legalization, states could not only right a historical wrong, but also
pad their budgets with extra tax revenue from the legal sale of pot.

Harry Anslinger was the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of
Narcotics, a precursor to the modern DEA. In 1929, Anslinger made the
case for banning marijuana using statements such as, "Reefer makes
darkies think they're as good as white men." His push for prohibition
was successful.

In 1972, the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse was
created and reported to Congress. The report not only recommended
decriminalizing pot but questioned the constitutionality of the ban.
Nixon ignored the report and pushed ahead with the "War on Drugs."

It's time to correct the mistakes of the past.

John Kincaid, Seminole
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake