Published LTE: Times-Tribune (Scranton, PA) – January 28, 2014: Smoke Nothing

Editor: I’m a retired detective. Richard Cohen ( “Tobacco debate gone to pot,” Jan. 22 ) is ignoring the fact that every hour my profession chases a green plant, we have less time for the pedophile or the deadly drunken driver. Moreover, every teen in Pennsylvania has a job option to sell marijuana … and they carry guns. Every year kids are shot and shot dead because of their “employment.”

Pedophiles are not caught as often as possible, as my profession spends about 10 million hours nationally searching and arresting for a green plant.

Policy-making should not be so simple as “this is bad, so let’s make it illegal.” Marijuana is no play toy. I would give it the same respect and rules as beer.

To Mr. Cohen I would say, “Don’t smoke anything.” How hard is that?

HOWARD “COWBOY” WOOLDRIDGE

ADAMSTOWN, MD. CO-FOUNDER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAINST

PROHIBITION