Pubdate: Fri, 29 Jul 2005
Source: North Andover Citizen (MA)
Copyright: 2005 North Andover Citizen
Contact:  http://www.townonline.com/northandover/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3270
Author:  Kirk Muse
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1168/a04.html?98045

LET'S TAX MARIJUANA

To the Editor:

I'm writing about your thoughtful editorial: "Time for a serious talk about 
pot" (Aug. 22, 2005).

If  12 percent of the metro Boston area adults used marijuana last month, 
it means  than 88 percent did not. It seems to me that the 88 percent of 
the citizens who  did not use pot last month would be very much in favor of 
taxing marijuana. Around  here, taxing someone else's vice is very popular. 
By keeping  marijuana as a criminalized substance, marijuana is untaxed, 
unregulated and  controlled by criminals. Criminals who often sell other, 
much more dangerous  drugs, and who often offer free samples of the much 
more dangerous drugs, to their marijuana customers.

If  marijuana were sold in licensed business establishments, it could be 
regulated,  controlled and taxed and we would close the gateway to hard 
drugs like cocaine  and meth.

When I was  a marijuana user, which is more than 15 years ago, I was 
frequently offered free  samples of drugs like cocaine and meth. (Back then 
it was called speed).

(Yet, I've  never been offered a free sample of whiskey or vodka when 
buying beer or wine).

Fortunately,  I turned down all offers of free samples of other drugs. 
Unfortunately, many  others do not - thus the gateway effect.

Kirk Muse

Mesa,  Ariz.
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MAP posted-by: Beth