Pubdate: Sun, 15 Jan 2006
Source: Daily Sentinel, The (Grand Junction, CO)
Copyright: 2006 Cox Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.gjsentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2084
Author: Kirk Muse
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

TO ALLEVIATE THE METH PROBLEMS, WE SHOULD LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

Editor:

I'm writing about Deputy District Attorney Dan Rubinstein's Jan. 8 
letter to the editor.

I submit that the vast majority of drug users would use only 
marijuana if it were available at an affordable price.

During the early 1970s, marijuana sold for $10 to $20 an ounce. Now 
it sells for about $300 an ounce. Today's price is the result of a 
"prohibition tax" which goes to criminals, not the government.

If beer drinkers cannot obtain beer, they switch to another type of 
alcohol. If marijuana users cannot obtain marijuana at an affordable 
price, many switch to other drugs like meth.

And because marijuana is illegal, it is sold only by criminals who 
often sell other drugs like meth.

If marijuana were legally available in licensed businesses, our meth 
problem would be a tiny fraction of what it is today.

KIRK MUSE

Mesa, Ariz
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman