Pubdate: Thu, 14 Aug 2014
Source: Chico News & Review, The (CA)
Copyright: 2014 Chico Community Publishing, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.newsreview.com/chico/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/559
Author: Leroy W.
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n627/a03.html

PROHIBITION'S COST

Re "An end to prohibition" (Editorial, July 31) and "A flawed
punishment" (Editorial, Aug. 7):

One things for sure: They'll never use marijuana to administer the
death penalty. If you use too much you'll just fall asleep.

The War on Drugs (mainly a war on marijuana) is 43 years old. That's
longer than the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI, WWII and the
Korean, Vietnam, Kuwait and Iraq wars combined. The criminalization of
marijuana has grown a mountain of dead bodies over the fight for
money. There is also a mountain range full of broken families, because
daddy or mommy got busted and now cannot get a job. The war has cost
over $1 trillion-plus. For all the harm criminalization of marijuana
has done and is doing, the plant itself has not killed a single person.

I'm afraid to sign this letter. Sure, the Declaration of Independence
says the "pursuit of happiness" is an "inalienable right." But today,
the justice system has over 500,000 Americans behind bars for
marijuana. The last 43 years has chewed up tens of millions of lives
and I don't want to be next.

Leroy W.

Chico
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