Pubdate: Fri, 26 Oct 2012
Source: Salem News (MA)
Copyright: 2012 Eagle Tribune Publishing Company
Contact: http://www.salemnews.com/contactus/local_story_015132129.html
Website: http://www.salemnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3466
Author: Steven S. Epstein
Referenced: Editorial: Our view: No On Question 3
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n539/a07.html)

GROUNDWORK ALREADY IN PLACE FOR MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

To the editor:

Your assertion that Question 3 "is about laying the groundwork for legal
use of the drug in all instances" ("Our view: No
on Question 3," Oct. 25) is divorced from reality. That groundwork is done.

Proof of that is the vote in the 7th and 8th
Essex House districts two years ago ("Locals vote
=80'yes' on legalizing marijuana," Nov. 3, 2010),
and as noted by Nelson Benton in his column of
Dec. 16, 2011, "A recent telephone poll conducted
by DAPA Research on behalf of the Massachusetts
Cannabis Reform Coalition indicated that 58
percent of Bay State voters favor the
legalization of marijuana." Four years ago, this
paper editorialized against Question 2 ("Our
View: Questions 1-3: Vote No," Oct. 27, 2008) and
puzzlement at the overwhelming 65 percent to 35
percent victory ("Our view: Voters of two minds
on substance abuse," Nov. 10, 2008). On Nov. 7,
you will again find yourselves on the wrong side.

I hope that then you will understand, like the
voters, that whatever the dangers of marijuana
use may be, a regulated market and education are
the only constitutional and fiscally responsible policy.

Steven S. Epstein

Georgetown

The author is an attorney and a founder of the
Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom