Marijuana legalization is sweeping the U.S. Ten states plus Washington, D.C., have legal recreational cannabis: Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Alaska, Colorado, Michigan, Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine.
The obvious benefit of the legalization of recreational cannabis is tax revenue for state governments. Legalization is good for the economy; it creates jobs. Workers would be needed to farm, process, distribute and sell marijuana-based products.
Legalization of marijuana would mean far fewer court cases resulting in fewer incarcerations, saving both money and families. We don’t criminalize alcohol or tobacco use, and we know that they kill. Why criminalize adult usage of cannabis?
What a waste of police and judicial manpower enforcing archaic laws. There are many compelling reasons to legalize recreational use of marijuana; we just don’t have legislators who see them. They would rather continue to tax us and embrace the status quo and old talking points. And how’s that been working?
Chuck Cohen
Kalama Valley
A kinder, gentler time
In the spirit of this holiday season, and after what some consider a particularly divisive election year, we invite you, dear readers, to write in about kindness — something so special, touching or positive that it should be shared with our community.
Send a 150-word letter, or a commentary at 500-600 words, to letters@staradvertiser.com by Dec. 19 evening. A collection of these will run on Dec. 23, just before Christmas.
Click here to read more Letters to the Editor.
