Pubdate: Wed, 20 Oct 2010
Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ)
Copyright: 2010 Tony Hart
Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html
Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: Tony Hart

MEDICAL-POT EDITORIALS ARE ALARMIST

You have published more columns on the urgent need to defeat the
medical-marijuana proposition (Proposition 203) than on any other
recent issue that I can remember. You guys must really hate it. (Or
maybe it's just your boss.)

In the most recent column ("Sheriffs, county attorneys united against
Prop. 203," Monday), I was expecting to see all these statistics about
how moral decay, crime and juvenile delinquency have taken over the 14
states that have already passed similar laws.

Guess what? Not one word about any of that.

Nothing to justify the claims by Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk
and Navajo County Sheriff Kelly "KC" Clark of "disastrous results."
Just some stats on apparent weaknesses in the administration of the
program.

I do not smoke marijuana, and I am not interested in starting. That
said, I truly believe there is a place for this program in Arizona. On
the other hand, I think your alarmist editorializing is probably doing
more harm to your cause than good.

The election is less than two weeks away. That should be enough time
for you to squeeze in another 10 to 12 anti-Prop. 203 articles. Good
luck.

Tony Hart

Glendale
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake