Pubdate: Wed, 08 Jan 2014
Source: Star-News (Wilmington, NC)
Copyright: 2014 Wilmington Morning Star
Contact: http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/submit01
Website: http://www.starnewsonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/500
Author: Thomas G. Wright

A LEGAL REVENUE SOURCE

After weighing the pros and cons, the good citizens of Colorado voted 
to allow the sale and use of pot.

What are the cons? It is a means of impairing drivers. It is 
potentially addictive. It will be even easier for teens to obtain it. 
It will be bootlegged and marketed outside the state. It will 
probably lead to at least one federal case to set a precedent. It is 
purported to cause learning impairment in teens. It is one more thing 
that young people see us accept as normal behavior.

What are the pros? Hello, new source of tax revenue! The "war on 
drugs" is a disaster. Because society allows users so many free 
passes, slaps on the wrists and do-overs, there is no risk in buying 
small quantities of illegal drugs. On the other hand, selling illegal 
drugs makes you a felon if caught.

There will always be suppliers/ career criminals. Since we are making 
it tough on users, why waste billions of dollars convicting and 
housing the sellers in our overcrowded prisons? They are like roaches 
- - squash one and 10 more show up.

Colorado chose to quit the war. The alternative is to make use of 
illegal drugs a felony, and fill prisons with middle-class citizens 
who laugh at drug laws.

Who knows . we might start winning the war on drugs.

Thomas G. Wright,
Hampstead 
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom