Pubdate: Sun, 31 May 2009
Source: Olympian, The (WA)
Copyright: 2009 The Olympian
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/51PidAHv
Website: http://www.theolympian.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/319
Author: Allison Savin

IT'S TIME TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

The state of Washington spends millions, maybe even billions, a year 
on regulating the use of marijuana through police tactics and jail 
housing and feeding. The drug should be legalized but controlled, 
just like alcohol, which is another drug itself.

If marijuana was legalized, we could take the money spent on our 
court system and use it for the people who have chosen to use the 
drug who want to enter into a rehabilitation clinic. This way, the 
state could tax the crop and balance the budget.

The Legislature needs to realize that what it all comes down to right 
now, and always, is money.

Money is what we need most and if the people of the state of 
Washington are willing to give it up for a product that could better 
our state, then the bill needs to be passed to legalize the drug.

We could save money instead of prosecuting criminals for the 
possession of it and we could put the money toward improving aspects 
of our state and funding the drug users that have asked for help 
recovering from the use of it.

The Legislature and lawmakers need to listen up and prioritize to 
realize what is most important with this bad economy is bringing in 
money, and taxing marijuana, just like alcohol, is the most logical 
way to do it.

ALLISON SAVIN, Olympia
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