Pubdate: Mon, 13 Dec 2010 Source: Savannah Morning News (GA) Copyright: 2010 Savannah Morning News Contact: http://www.savannahnow.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/401 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n957/a02.html Author: Howard Wooldridge CUT PRISON COSTS: REDUCE PENALTY FOR POT As a police officer and detective for 18 years, I learned that the use of marijuana is much less dangerous to both the user and those around them, when compared to the second deadliest drug in Georgia, alcohol. ("Georgia needs prison options," Nov. 20) Another simple and effective method to reduce prison populations would be to make simple possession of marijuana a civil infraction like a parking ticket. This common sense change would send a signal to my profession to spend more time looking for child predators and DUIs and less time looking for the Willie Nelsons of Georgia. Howard Wooldridge Albany - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake