Spliffs and stones

To the editor:

Ron Isaac often writes excellent commentaries. But his June 2nd one, "Mary Jane's right of passage," is a mixed bag. Some of his points are flawed and with others he doesn't go into enough detail. That is odd for a 37-paragraph piece.

First, there's no mention that the "illicit" marijuana businesses are the result of the government taking forever to license legal businesses. The "illicit" businesses that are selling quality products should be licensed as well.

Also, since I receive a superb product from the "illicit" business near me, why should I travel to lower Manhattan to get the legal product? Like most people, I tend to be loyal to good businesses, so even if they finally put a legal pot shop in my neighborhood, I'll still go to the same place I patronize now.

Furthermore, if 40 percent of the products purchased from "illicit" stores are tainted, then 60 percent are not. Should stores selling a safe product be punished for those who are not?

The National Institute on Drug Abuse claims high potency marijuana can create psychosis. For me, high potency marijuana means I take five puffs and I'm where I want to be. As a young man, I used to need to smoke half a joint or a whole joint of the weaker product to get a satisfactory high. Also as a young man, I heard claims that marijuana causes hallucinations. Nobody I know got a hallucination from marijuana.

As for the New York Post claim that giving licenses to people who were convicted of marijuana offenses is the equivalent of favoring criminals, that is bunk. Interracial marriage was once illegal. I don't consider anyone a criminal for breaking that law. Nor do I consider anyone a criminal for breaking the marijuana prohibition laws, or any other unjust law.

Richard Warren