Pubdate: Sun, 28 Oct 2007
Source: Advertiser, The (Lafayette, LA)
Copyright: 2007 The Lafayette Daily Advertiser
Contact: 
http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=CUSTOMERSERVICE03
Website: http://www.theadvertiser.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1670
Author: Arden A. Anderson

COLUMN ON MARIJUANA SHOULD BE A WAKE-UP CALL

The Oct. 22 column by Bill Steigerwald regarding the legalization of 
marijuana has got to be in the top 10 of all-time stupid columns. He 
cites reports by Jon Gettleman and Ethan Nadlemann who both decry our 
laws prohibiting the legalization of marijuana. The title of 
Steigerwald's column is, "Cost of marijuana enforcement and lost 
taxpayer revenues is $41.8 billion."

Of the $41.8 billion, he cites the prospective taxes on marijuana as 
being $31.1 billion, inferring that our present cost of enforcement 
is $10.7 billion.

This column takes the award for 2007's most stupid. How many highway 
deaths would take place that were caused by people being stoned on 
pot? How many potheads would graduate to the bigger highs given by 
taking heroin and cocaine? With the lid off on pot, the loss of lives 
and family traumas caused by narcotics sold by the subhuman pushers 
would escalate exponentially.

I urge everyone who has read Steigerwald's column to be on the 
lookout for both consumers and sellers of drugs and turn them in to 
the authorities immediately. If this is done, this column that 
condones the legalization of marijuana will be a wake-up call for all 
of us and have a positive effect.

Arden A. Anderson

Lafayette
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