I fully agree with your editorial about marijuana (Cannabis Qualifiers, Aug. 9–15).
Some people (e.g., Attorney General Jeff Sessions) put marijuana in the same category as hard drugs, such as heroin, cocaine and crack. They do not know what they are talking about.
Several years ago in the New York Times Sunday magazine, a study was published that had analyzed the addictive affects of six substances: nicotine, alcohol, heroin, cocaine, caffeine and marijuana. The least addictive of all of these substances was found to be marijuana.
For cigarettes and alcohol to be considered legal, while marijuana is considered illegal in various states, including New York, is absurd. Alcohol and cigarettes are far more dangerous, addictive and life-threatening than a few tokes on a marijuana cigarette. Most people who smoke consume at least a pack of cigarettes a day, whereas the occasional marijuana smoker maybe has a cigarette once a week.
It is time for all states to legalize the recreational smoking of marijuana.
—Robert B. McKay
