LEGALIZE POT AND WATCH ABUSE SOAR

To the editor:

Re: The medical pot business. A reader recently posted a letter
advocating the decriminalization of pot, stating that it is a
relatively harmless substance compared to alcohol and cigarettes,
both legal products. Yes, both are legal, but one does not have to
look too far to see just how much death and destruction they have
caused over time, all the while being legal.

Do we really need to legalize another mind altering and physically
debilitating drug under the pretense that it will reduce crime? So
instead of a relatively small segment of our society being potheads,
by decriminalizing it we can increase that number exponentially to
equal the number of alcohol users. The impact would be more drivers
on our roads under the influence of either alcohol or pot.
Unfortunately, supporters of legalizing marijuana conveniently, but
not surprisingly, never mention just how harmful it is. It's as if it
were a wonder drug, it just makes one feel good, that's all. What
harm can there be in that?

All one has to do to find out just how harmful it is is to Google
"debilitating effects of marijuana." There is a plethora of
information on the subject. "Relatively harmless?" I think not. Of
course, one does need to have a clear head to comprehend it.

Sadly, we're increasingly becoming a nation that can't seem to cope
with everyday problems without ingesting some kind of substance,
legal or otherwise, into our bodies.

DAVID CRESINE

Flagstaff