PLANNERS SUCKERED BY COMPASSION

Regarding "Planners reject ban of medical pot sales" (Nov. 22, Page
A-1): As an anti-drug activist, I'm furious and outraged. Over the
summer, I met with Police Chief Roy Wasden and other members of his
staff. I was assured that the city of Modesto would indeed ban
marijuana dispensaries. For that reason, I did not attend the Nov. 21 meeting.

Marijuana dispensaries must be banned. Drug legalization advocates
such as the Drug Policy Alliance, The Marijuana Policy Project and
NORML have one goal in mind -- to legalize all drugs. Their carefully
crafted words and their use of our compassionate nature is nothing
more than a ploy to legalize marijuana as medicine.

Marijuana is not medicine; it is an illegal drug with dire
consequences. Smoking one marijuana cigarette is the same as smoking
10 tobacco cigarettes. Recent research has linked marijuana to mental
illness and brain damage. This drug is especially dangerous for our
youth, as it has been linked as a gateway drug. What kind of a
message is this for our children?

Call members of the Modesto City Council and ask them to vote No on
the medical marijuana lie.

Linda Taylor

Turlock

Editor's note: The City Council is scheduled to consider this issue
on Dec. 6. The council meets at 5:30 p.m. in the basement of Tenth
Street Place.