Illegal drugs appear in so much recent news. Tamaqua will drug test students, and the federal government has leveled sentencing policies for crack cocaine. We need to reopen the case for decriminalization of marijuana.

Fourteen states already have legalized the medical use of marijuana. In Pennsylvania, HB1393 proposes the same. It seems silly and downright hypocritical to tell our kids marijuana is dangerous when doctors all over the country call it a wonder drug and prescribe it for use by sick people who are in pain. Marijuana is the top cash crop in 12 U.S. states, in the top three of 30 states, but its current illegal status guarantees that 100 percent of the proceeds of its sales go to unregulated criminals. Some people falsely believe marijuana is a "gateway" to hard drugs; actually it is the illegal purchase that exposes the person to the criminal element and other hard drugs.

People are going to smoke pot. Heck, our last two presidents admitted smoking it. Let's regulate it, get it out of the hands of criminals and kids, like we did with alcohol, and keep some of that money for our highways and schools.

Starr Stanley

Allentown