Pubdate: Thu, 23 Jun 2011 Source: Gainesville Sun, The (FL) Copyright: 2011 The Gainesville Sun Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/yMmn4Ifw Website: http://www.gainesville.com/ Author: William Dicker, MARIJUANA MONOPOLY In response to the recent story titled "Panel: War on drugs has failed; legalize marijuana": What would be the effect of state owned and operated stores that sell legal, locally grown marijuana? Some states and towns have a monopoly on liquor sales in their area. The federal government bought and sold tobacco and controlled the volume with acreage allotments. The "numbers racket" had many of the same elements as the marijuana business until the states took over, lowered the odds of winning and changed the name to lottery, in effect putting the bolita people out of business. Again, what would be the effect if the state took over this business? William Dicker Gainesville - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.