Letters: Legal pot now, later or never?

Re “Don’t rush to legalize pot,” Editorial, Jan. 16

Good idea to wait and think about the legalization idea and the consequences.

We have not controlled alcohol abuse, its sale to minors or drunk driving, nor a lot of other considerations. It is not good.

Now we are trying to add marijuana to this caldron. Same problems in addition to those we have to deal with now: underage sales, abuse, plus secondhand smoke.

This is like throwing gasoline on the fire.

Tom Lasser
Redondo Beach

The Times’ stance to delay legalizing cannabis in California is puzzling advice for a state that has always led the nation.

None of the issues your editorial raised has turned out to be a problem. And over the years of California’s medical marijuana law, dispensaries here have led the world in marijuana R&D;, developing strains that are the preferred genera for users around the world.

If you think the wine business has been good for California, wait until marijuana is legal worldwide.

Vince Scully
Long Beach

You’re kidding me, right? Maybe we should wait another 40 years; why rush?

The issue — the only issue — is that we’re incarcerating people now for using and distributing a drug that is far less harmful than alcohol and will be legal everywhere if the polls keep climbing.

F.S. Mueller
Agoura Hills

It might be helpful if the media were to caution the public on the risks involved.

Marijuana can decrease fertility in males, interfere with rapid motor response and may lead to psychosis in certain individuals.

Thus, if your surgeon or dentist or a police officer, cabby, bus driver or pilot is a user, he is putting others at risk.

William K. Solberg
Los Angeles

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