Friday, November 6 - Florida Today published an edited version of the LTE I set. It was quite the suprise! My friend, Fran asked me on Saturday - at the Democratic Women's Club meeting- if they had edited me much. The paper didn't even call to confirm the letter so I was amazed to see it in print- guess they knew to expect letters on legalization from me.
Many Reasons to Legalize Pot
With the 75th anniversary of the repeal of alcohol prohibition in Florida on Nov. 6, I am dumb-struck by the fact we still choose a policy of prohibition over one of regulation and control.
Marijuana, if it helps a sick person find relief, isn’t bad.
The value of planting crops that require less herbicides and pesticides, while investing in American agriculture, doesn’t require an advanced degree to calculate. Hemp for fuel, fiber and food makes sense.
Wasting resources prohibiting otherwise responsible adults from using cannabis/hemp, and legitimate business people from bringing it to market is what doesn’t make sense.
CNN reports Florida would gain an estimated $48.2 million in revenue from taxing cannabis. Can we afford not to rethink this policy?
Alcohol prohibition is an accepted failure. We define that policy by reduced respect for law enforcement, health emergencies as tainted alcohol and abuse threatened lives and gangs reaping the rewards of a lucrative unregulated market satisfying disputes with violence.
While consuming alcohol still has risks, the danger of being caught in the crossfire between distributors, dying from tainted products and going to jail for manufacturing is greatly diminished.
Melbourne
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