Pubdate: Mon, 30 May 2011
Source: Kennebec Journal (Augusta, ME)
Copyright: 2011 MaineToday Media, Inc.
Contact: 
http://www.kjonline.com/readerservices/Send_a_Letter_to_the_Editor-KJ.html
Website: http://www.kjonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1405
Author: Dean DeWitt

LEGALIZE MARIJUANA, LET IT LIVE OR DIE ON ITS OWN

More news and wrangling about marijuana and growers, who is, who
isn't. Still, it's the American profit motive at work. Everyone wants
to grow marijuana for money, and lots of both. Who wouldn't want to
get rich? The news is that someone else wants a piece of the pie and
didn't get selected.

The business models and profit motives could be more of a problem than
marijuana. Look what the tobacco companies did with cigarettes.

If you think the state is any better, look at how it markets lottery
tickets. Sure, play responsibly, and cigarettes aren't addictive.
Tobacco companies want kids to think smoking is "cool," and the state
wants you to think "you're a winner."

Criminals and crime families with financial statements larger than
many countries don't want marijuana legal. But making it legal,
growers and dispensaries can make a fortune. The state endorses
marijuana monopolies for a $15,000 application fee, and looks at
making a lot of tax revenue. It reminds me of casino politics with
different bedfellows, and I think they're all out to do us bad.

Regardless of who controls it, when money and profit are the issue,
they want to make more, sell more and tax more. If you regulate it
more, that's more state jobs and more healthcare costs requiring
physician control. It all leads to someone controlling marijuana for
profit.

If it was just legal (or just illegal to sell), it would inhibit
anyone promoting (pushing) marijuana for unreasonable personal gain.
Let marijuana live, or die, on its own without the profit incentive,
and I think we'd all be happier with the results. I think legalization
is the better choice, whether you're for or against its use.

Let's free marijuana and legalize it.

Dean DeWitt

China Village
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.