Pubdate: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 Source: Hartford Courant (CT) Copyright: 2014 Tayler Hobson Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/IpIfHam4 Website: http://www.courant.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/183 Author: Tayler Hobson LEGALIZE AND CONTROL MARIJUANA Legalizing marijuana with controlled conditions is not just something many people want to occur; it's the right thing to do. This topic is controversial, and of course the advocates will say it's a drug that must be kept away from children. This is true -- keep it away from children just like cigarettes and alcohol. Control the distribution, put conditions on the sales. For example with controlled sales like alcohol, you must be 21 years of age. It is not appropriate to drink and drive, so the same laws should be followed for marijuana with the same consequences. Picture yourself having to sit with one of two people -- one is belligerently drunk, while, the other just smoked some marijuana. Which would you choose? Nowadays, sitting with the drunk is more socially acceptable. Marijuana is an all-natural herb with no significant harmful effects to the body, and it even has medicinal benefits. Package it, tax it and sell it with organized control, and take the money back to where we can put it to good use -- instead of the hands of the black market drug lords. Tayler Hobson, Enfield - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D