Returning to ‘Grass Roots’

Yes, people still get high (“Just Say Maybe,” by Dan Neil, 800 Words, Sept. 24). And maybe the reason boomers are finding their way back to marijuana is that they are retiring in large numbers and are no longer subject to random drug testing by their employers.

Charlotte Costello

Fountain Valley

I agree with Dan Neil. I’m not surprised that baby boomers are returning to their “grass roots.” If an otherwise responsible adult chooses to decompress after a long day or on the weekends, what’s the harm? Has our government’s war on drugs curbed our appetite for pot? Apparently not.

So why not change our approach to reflect the opinion of a large majority of adults, who understand that “reefer madness” would not result if pot were decriminalized? The danger would be that perhaps 6% to 8% of the population might prefer smoking a bud over buying a six-pack of Bud. Maybe a few bong rips before bed work better for them than pharmaceuticals. Unfortunately, in our free market economy, there’s no place for a product that can be produced for free in one’s backyard.

Peter K. DeCamp

Los Angeles