Pubdate: Mon, 12 Nov 2012
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2012 The New York Times Company
Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/lettertoeditor.html
Website: http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n567/a03.html
Author: Paul Armentano

SHOULD MARIJUANA BE MADE LEGAL?

To the Editor:

Re "A Bad Trip for Democrats" (Op-Ed, Nov. 8):

I disagree with Ed Gogek's assumption that marijuana law reform is an 
issue that appeals primarily to the political left. Support for 
ending cannabis prohibition is growing among those of all political 
and ideological persuasions.

Nationwide polls by Gallup, Rasmussen and other respected pollsters 
indicate that a majority of Americans supports ending cannabis 
prohibition and replacing it with a system of limited legalization 
and regulation. Nearly three out of four Americans, including 67 
percent of Republican voters, oppose the federal government's 
interference in state medical marijuana policies.

Voters' support for ending the criminalization of cannabis is not 
limited to Western states. In addition to the Election Day votes in 
Colorado and Washington, voters in Detroit and four other Michigan 
cities overwhelmingly approved ballot measures to legalize the 
possession and use of cannabis by adults. In Massachusetts, voters in 
more than 40 cities approved nonbinding ballot measures to either 
regulate marijuana like alcohol or simply repeal cannabis prohibition 
altogether.

It is time to stop stigmatizing and criminalizing tens of millions of 
Americans for choosing to consume a substance that is safer than 
either tobacco or alcohol.

PAUL ARMENTANO

Washington, Nov. 8, 2012

The writer is deputy director of the National Organization for the 
Reform of Marijuana Laws and co-author of "Marijuana Is Safer: So Why 
Are We Driving People to Drink?"
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom