Pubdate: Wed, 14 Jan 2009
Source: Boulder Weekly (CO)
Copyright: 2009 Boulder Weekly
Contact:  http://www.boulderweekly.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/57
Author: William Ambrose

END REEFER MADNESS

(Re: "Legislators: Pot law needed," news, Jan. 7.) I was at my local 
Target buying the usual staples from the $1 area, as well as some 
antihistamines and NyQuil. You see, I have what 70 percent of 
Colorado has - a bad cold.

Anyway, upon paying for my items, the clerk had to scan my license in 
order to sell me the antihistamine. I understand that it is to curb 
the meth production problem, but it got me thinking. I should really 
give an ID and sign sort of form saying I read all the potential side 
effects of the NyQuil. That is the truly dangerous drug that I will 
be ingesting. I can O.D., develop a physical addiction, and be a 
lethalweapon behind the wheel of a car while "high" on it. Yet, I can 
buy bottles of it over the counter.

Then I read your article and came up with an easy solution to the 
marijuana laws: sell pot over the counter. Let dispensaries sell it 
as medicinal, but let the buyer decide how he/she will use it, just 
like NyQuil or Benadryl, etc.

Our (useless) state legislators should ease the regulations instead 
of trying to work around the state's constitution. In the end, it 
will save taxpayers money and create tax revenue. The money saved 
would all be from the endless court cases that will be eliminated. 
The law would state that it is still medicinal, but eliminate the 
horse-and-pony show of who really "needs" pot. Then, DAs and sheriffs 
would know exactly how the law applies.

This would put new pressure on the federal government to either 
enforce the federal law or re-evaluate whether marijuana is a drug 
with no medicinal purpose. The current administration has pussyfooted 
around this issue, and I believe this would bring this issue to the forefront.

Another part of the law should allow cities/counties to allow how pot 
is sold. They could allow everything from a "coffee shop" setting 
like in Holland to being absolutely dry. There are dry counties all 
over the United States. They forfeit tax revenue from alcohol sales 
for puritan beliefs. That should be their right in this case as well.

In the end, this could change how every state and the nation looks at 
the pot issue. Colorado could be the model that other states follow. 
Then maybe the "reefer madness" myth will also be finally destroyed.

William Ambrose/Broomfield
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart