Mr. Winkler's letter "Legalize pot? Still a bad idea" shows a lack of understanding on how basic economics and the free market works. Allowing the government to act as a supplier is his first mistake. Advertisement Government cannot supply anything as well as a private company can, and if it does, it's at a much higher cost and lower quality. By his own admission, the feds can't grow marijuana that anyone is interested in purchasing because it's so bad. [continues 51 words]
Jadd Fawwal's suit against Alabama Crown Distributing for selling Hempen Ale will simply be one in a long line of businesses threatened by drug laws. Alabama's byzantine maze of legal codes enables Fawwal (on behalf of the state) to prosecute them for felony trafficking in marijuana. As in other states, Alabama's penalties are more severe as the quantity of a controlled substance goes up. But a 1995 change in the state's drug laws makes you wonder if our Legislature has a firm grasp on reality. Before the change, a trafficking bust that included cannabis plants required them to be defoliated. After removing any legal parts, like stems and seeds, charges were brought against the individual on what was left. The law was reworded to include stems, seeds and all products derived from them. Any quantity exceeding 2.2 pounds would be considered a felony. [continues 342 words]
