Pubdate: Thu, 23 Feb 2012
Source: Dallas Morning News (TX)
Copyright: 2012 The Dallas Morning News, Inc.
Contact: http://www.dallasnews.com/cgi-bin/lettertoed.cgi
Website: http://www.dallasnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/117
Author: Cheryl Norman

THESE ARE NOT CRIMINALS ...

Re: "Seeds of a big bust -- Small pot deal led to series of undercover 
buys, arrests," Sunday news story.

Your front page of pictures of TCU students has convinced me. Too many 
of our laws, particularly those in regard to drug use, are too often 
unnecessarily making criminals out of too many of our young people.

If we cannot persuade our legislators the best way to win the war on 
drugs is to legalize marijuana, then as jurors, when we vote "not 
guilty," we can vote "not guilty" and disable a foolish law that is 
costing America way too many lives and way too much money.

As I look at those pictures spread all over the front page of The 
Dallas Morning News, I see no criminals. The crime is in the arrest. 
The crime is violating these young people and labeling them because of 
a ridiculous law that should have been changed decades ago.

People have been smoking pot in college for the last 40 years. Good 
thing over the years the police let a few slip through the net or 
America might be short a few captains of industry, political leaders, 
teachers, doctors, etc.

Cheryl Norman

Plano
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