Pubdate: Fri, 11 Oct 2013
Source: Boston Herald (MA)
Copyright: 2013 The Boston Herald, Inc
Contact:  http://news.bostonherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/53
Note: Prints only very short LTEs.
Author: Steven S. Epstein
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n490/a06.html

TIME TO LEGALIZE IT

The (marijuana) genie is already out of the bag and has beenfor 
decades ("Don't let the genie out of the bag," Oct. 6). Now, I 
couldquibble with Robert J. Petrella's claims in the Herald of pot's 
risk. ButWilliam F. Buckley Jr. nailed it nine years ago when he 
wrote, "although thereis a perfectly respectable case against using 
marijuana, the penalties imposedon those who reject that case, or who 
give way to weakness of resolution, arevery difficult to defend."

As for the claims regarding the "signal" that legalizingmarijuana 
would send to children, the "2011 Massachusetts Youth Risk 
BehaviorSurvey," published in 2012, reports a statistically 
significant decrease in usebefore the age of 13.

Steven S. Epstein, Georgetown
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom