Pubdate: Thu, 06 Sep 2012 Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA) Copyright: 2012 Union-Tribune Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.utsandiego.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/386 Note: Seldom prints LTEs from outside it's circulation area. Author: Jim Montalbano MEDICINAL POT FOLLIES Here we go again with the closure of the last "pot" clinic ("Last pot collective in county closes after long battle," Local, Sept. 5). What a waste of taxpayer money going after groups trying to help the ailing. It seems that we are going back in time to the era of prohibition of alcohol. Did we not learn from our mistake then? Organized crime became rampant during Prohibition and once again will heed its ugly head to the closure of the clinics through the Mexican drug cartel. It's amazing to wonder that both state and federal governments are strapped for cash and could benefit from taxes on sales of this product, licensing of the business and maybe a yearly operation fee for the clinic. Yet government doesn't think of any of the positives. It's all about control of the people. Jim Montalbano Imperial Beach - --- MAP posted-by: Matt