Pubdate: [Tue, 10 Dec 1996] Source: Spokesman-Review, Spokane (WA) Author: Rand Clifford What if we were to decriminalize marijuana? Strip the profit incentive from it and control it like alcohol, a far more dangerous drug. What problems would emerge? Think a moment about war. If war were effectively and permanently abolished, what would everyone at the Pentagon on down do? How about the enormous industrial military complex? What on Earth would we do without enemies? Could we survive? The war on drugs is a real war. With marijuana legal, what would drug warriors do? Marijuana is their big cash cow because it is so common, despite escalation after escalation of the war on drugs. Construction and operation of new prisons, one of our prime growth industries, would be ruined. Attorneys and judges Would have to focus on real crime. And what would we do with all the billions of dollars saved? What's more, we would suddenly have our most valuable natural resource back - hemp. Industries such as timber and paper, petroleum and petrochemicals, synthetic textiles and more - their vast profits would start spreading back to the people. Nobody would be on the street, driven by profit seeking, out to find new users. If we resort to genuine education, marijuana use would probably go down, especially among kids. The economic and environmental benefits of hemp would ease their angst and sense of no future. Could we stand the strain of losing such an enemy? Yes, and the people would be much better off. Rand Clifford Spokane