Pubdate: Thu, 04 Jun 2009 Source: Sacramento News & Review (CA) Copyright: 2009 Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact: http://newsreview.com/sacto/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/540 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n545/a11.html JUST LEGALIZE IT Re "Marijuana's tipping point" by Phillip S. Smith (SN&R Frontlines, May 21): Legalize it. Treat it like alcohol, plain and simple. I'm so sick of the "gateway drug" argument. Alcohol is the ultimate gateway drug. It's probably 90 percent of people's first buzz. And if they like it, they want more. None of my successful friends that smoke got into heavy drugs like coke. Once it's legal, it will be exciting for the first three months. After that, the people who smoke now will probably smoke the same amount. And the people who won't simply won't. Not much will change. Kids will have as much access to it as a six-pack of beer. So legalize it. And to the folks that say "no" and that have never done it, what right do they have to judge it? The only reason that it's bad for society is because there's a black market that creates crime. Responsible Adult Denver - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom