Pubdate: Wed, 8 Sep 2010
Source: Anniston Star (AL)
Copyright: 2010 Consolidated Publishing
Contact:  http://www.annistonstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/923
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n721/a02.html
Author: Jerry Epstein

LEGAL MARIJUANA USE WILL OCCUR

Re "Un-American to harass the sick" (Speak Out, Aug. 30):

I have been an analyst of drug policy for 15 years, and it has become 
obvious that it is inevitable that marijuana will become legal as the 
new generation displaces the older people like myself. Among people 
under 50 a solid majority is forming. The only question is when.

Various conflicts over marijuana are regularly in the news across the 
country. Letter writer Loretta Nall describes one that like many is 
particularly cruel and unnecessary in relation to medical use. All 
this is about a drug that has been used for thousands of years and by 
more than 100 million U.S. citizens without more than incidental harm 
that will be there regardless of laws.

Our country faces major problems and should not have its attention 
diverted by laws that do little more than make a potentially harmful 
drug more dangerous through lack of regulation and provide the major 
source of income for cartels that plague the world. Bear in mind that 
marijuana is significantly less dangerous than alcohol and almost 
everyone growing up today that uses alcohol regularly has at least 
tried marijuana. Most of the relatively few people who actually have 
a problem with marijuana also abuse alcohol.

Let's put this behind us and move on.

Jerry Epstein

President, Drug Policy Forum of Texas

Houston
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