IN DEFENSE OF LEGALIZING MARIJUANA IN COLO.

Re: "Marijuana push is for all the wrong reasons," Dec. 29 editorial.

Your vitriolic editorial against SAFER's proposed marijuana
legalization initiative called our assertions both "phony" and
"nonsensical." I beg to differ. The SAFER campaign is making one
simple point: Marijuana is less harmful - both to the user and
society - than alcohol. Based on this objective fact, we believe -
and obviously the people of Denver agree - adults should not be
punished for using the safer substance.

You wrote that I say people become alcoholics because marijuana is
illegal. This is not accurate. I have simply said that the laws
currently in place encourage and force people to use alcohol instead
of marijuana. At the same time, it is known that alcohol is
frequently a contributing factor in domestic abuse, sexual assault
and other acts of violence. Marijuana is not. Thus, by increasing the
likelihood that people will drink alcohol, our laws make our society
less safe. How is this nonsensical?

With respect to your suggestion that we wait for a federal system of
taxation and regulation, I implore you to name just one member of
Congress who has introduced such legislation. While you are working
on that, we are going to stop marijuana users from being arrested.
This is because we really think the war on marijuana is a failure; we
don't just say it - as you apparently do - to mask support for the
continued prosecution of marijuana users.

Mason Tvert, Campaign Director, Safer Alternative for Enjoyable
Recreation, Denver