Pubdate: Wed, 02 Apr 2008
Source: Windy City Times (Chicago, IL)
Contact:  2008 Windy City Media Group
Website: http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/windycitytimes.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3204
Author: Jerry Pritikin

POT PEEVE

Without a doubt, medical marijuana should be made available to people
with most fatal illnesses.

When it comes to legalizing recreational marijuana, it's not
controversy--it's hypocrisy! The power of the tobacco and alcohol
business lobbies has kept marijuana from becoming legal. Like sex,
what consenting adults do in the privacy of their home or on private
property should not be regulated by local or federal laws. If the same
laws would apply to pot as alcoholic beverages, there be a lot fewer
alcoholics and a lot more healthier people. It would still be unlawful
to drive under the influence, or made available to minors. I never
heard of anyone overdosing on weed!

Everyone who now smokes pot would not mind if it was taxed like
cigarettes or alcohol. Back in the 1960s and '70s, the average lid (
one ounce ) cost $7 to $10 bucks. Today, it sells for $200 to $300.
The chances of balancing the budget, state or federal, by taxing
marijuana products, could be done realistically in a lot less time.

Jerry Pritikin,

Chicago
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MAP posted-by: Derek