Pubdate: Fri, 19 Oct 2012
Source: Corvallis Gazette-Times (OR)
Copyright: 2012 Lee Enterprises
Website: http://www.gazettetimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2976
Author: Robert D. Corl, Jr.

VOTING YES ON 80 TO LEGALIZE POT WOULD BE A BOON TO STATE'S COFFERS

I was born in Corvallis in January, 1951. I graduated from Corvallis
High School in 1969, from OSU 1973 and from Willamette College of Law
1976. I have been continuously practicing law in Corvallis for 36
years this Nov. 1.

I started using marijuana in the fall of 1968. I stopped using it in
1988. I didn't use it much during law school; it interfered with my
studies.

I have been practicing criminal law during all of my career here. The
prohibition on pot has been totally ineffective in deterring its use.
It has resulted in the ruination of countless lives and the waste of
millions of dollars.

Pot use is nowhere near as destructive to our community as alcohol
use. Pot should be legalized and regulated. It should be taxed.

I have developed a guess about the costs of the pot war. If in 1968 we
had said don't smoke and drive, don't give it to the kids and don't be
obnoxious in public, we could have built two schools in Corvallis with
the dollars saved from not prosecuting.

If we had packaged it and sold it through the OLCC stores for $20 per
pack of 20, we could have built all of the schools and contributed to
their operation.

Robert D. Corl, Jr., Albany
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