Letter to the editor: Reasons to legalize marijuana

It’s hard to resist commenting on C.A. Ray’s letter “Why legalize pot”. Ray remarks that marijuana is “much worse” than tobacco, but offers nothing to support that. I believe no one has ever died from smoking pot. Cigarettes?

He asks the governor for a reason he is considering legalizing pot. OK, here are some reasons.

How many dollars do we spend locking up harmless people? I wonder if Ray would change his tune if it were his children going to jail.

Because marijuana is illegal it can be dangerously contaminated. It can also be a gateway drug because it is illegal. The pusher says he’s out of pot, but has this other stuff instead.

The better question for me would be why is alcohol legal? That is not victimless. Ever hear of someone coming home from a bar and beating up his wife? Alcohol encourages violent behavior; conversely pot relaxes the spirit. Remember “Make love not war”?

Laws against drugs have been a dismal failure; people will smoke pot regardless. As it is the pushers are getting the profits, and we waste money locking up harmless people. Wouldn’t it be better if these citizens would be free and productive, and the state get the profits?

Mr. Ray, please live and let live. You probably do some things I wouldn’t like, but this is supposedly a free country. Maybe if you tried it you might even see why it appeals to others.

Al Duerig

Salem