Editor, Vermont Commons:

Vermont law enforcement officials would have us believe that there is no significant cost or burden of marijuana interdiction and prosecution. According to the Vermont Crime Information Center, in 2007 there were nearly 3000 marijuana-related crimes reported by Vermont police, including over 500 arrests for marijuana and 1000 misdemeanor charges filed. Can anyone credibly say that there is no appreciable cost to this?

No law enforcement official has addressed the issue of cost in real dollars - the costs associated with surveillance, investigation, interdiction, and arrest, which run into the millions of dollars. If, as they claim, almost no one goes to jail these days for marijuana possession, then why are we spending all of this money ferreting out offenders? What's the point here?

The point to me is clear: full and continued employment for law enforcement officials at enormous public expense. I defy any of them to explain the substantive difference marijuana and alcohol, and why these substances should be treated differently under the law.

Vaughn A. Carney
Essex, VT