Pubdate: Tue, 28 Jun 2005 Source: High Point Enterprise (NC) Copyright: 2005 High Point Enterprise Contact: http://www.hpe.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/576 Author: Clifford Schaffer Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n999.a02.html GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE INDUSTRY SHOULD REGULATE, TAX MARIJUANA In response to Doug Brackett's question June 19 about how marijuana legalization would work, there are only three basic options for who would sell it: 1) Government, with proper regulations and taxes to address the social issues. 2) Private industry, with proper regulations and taxes to address the social issues. 3) Organized crime, with no regulations or taxes to address the social issues. Whatever difficulties we may have in working out the details, it seems clear that either of the first two options is better than leaving it in the hands of organized crime. Of course, this is the same lesson we learned about alcohol during alcohol prohibition. Clifford Schaffer Agua Dulce, Calif. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin