Pubdate: Tue, 14 Jul 2009 Source: News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) Copyright: 2009 The News and Observer Publishing Company Contact: http://www.newsobserver.com/484/story/433256.html Website: http://www.newsobserver.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/304 Author: Stuart Wells RICH REVENUE SOURCE Regarding "Aerial sleuthing finds pot worth $27 million" in Sampson County (June 27 news article): Another $27 million of untaxed and unregulated marijuana, one of our biggest if not the biggest cash crop. No suspects, irrigation -- every year these operations are more sophisticated and elaborate. All we are succeeding at with marijuana prohibition (70 years now) is building organized crime and taking resources away from actual drug problems. Some of those resources being seats in rehab, probation officers, time or money for after-school programs. There are medicinal uses of marijuana and it is impossible to overdose on (attempts to determine marijuana's LD-50 rating in test animals, has been unsuccessful), so what are we thinking? Everything is being cut and taxes being raised, yet we continue to squander money and leave marijuana in a marketplace that has no age restrictions. Stuart Wells Fuquay-Varina - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake