Pubdate: Fri, 10 Jan 2014 Source: Denver Post (CO) Copyright: 2014 The Denver Post Corp Contact: http://www.denverpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122 Author: Ed Augden Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n017/a01.html Re: "The perils of legalized pot," Jan. 6 Ruth Marcus column. THE PERILS OF POT Ruth Marcus' commentary against the legalization of marijuana in Colorado lacked a historical perspective and compassion for teenage offenders who have become career criminals as a result of being convicted and imprisoned for simple marijuana possession or sale of even a small amount of marijuana. Didn't she wonder why it took the federal government until 1937 to criminalize its use, possession and sale? Or why there were no studies of the properties of the plant before its criminalization? Or why the federal government provides subsidies for cancer-causing tobacco? Ed Augden, Denver - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom