Readers share their thoughts on our January issue.
Pot POV
Those of us who favor legalization of marijuana share Ms. Williams’ concern [“Trying to Avoid the Contact High,” January] regarding youth use and exposure, but we’ve come to realize that prohibition is a failed policy. Marijuana has tremendous potential health benefits for adults. Research into the endocannabinoid system shows the potential for therapeutic benefits for a wide array of illnesses including cancer, MS, ALS, dementia, and chronic pain.
From a public safety perspective, we are looking to chase the unregulated street dealer out of the marketplace and replace him or her with responsible business owners who will diligently check IDs and never sell to minors. On a macro level, legalization will reduce prison populations by no longer treating marijuana abuse as a criminal offense, allowing us to treat the abuse of this plant as a public health issue instead.
Mark Hersman, Alameda
This is a clear example of one person’s power over a society and wants it to be what “they” think is important to children. Stop abusing your power and learn to embrace this important state decision. 1) Kids will be kids. They will seek out marijuana in other areas and travel off the Island and possibly getting in other troubles. 2) Open the conversation to kids rather then closing them off and telling them stories about marijuana that are untrue. 3) Alameda will lose taxes. Oh wait, they get their funding by the excess traffic stops and tickets. Please understand the facts of marijuana and not the century-old stories.
Howard Hperofsky, Oakland
Luminaries Overlooked
Thank you for annually including a section remembering the East Bay luminaries who passed away during the previous year [“They Made a Brighter Future,” January]. While I was very pleased to see Ruth Belikove in the list, I was stunned that Alameda school board member Solana Henneberry was not. How was this children’s advocate, special ed teacher, elected official, wife, and mother of three overlooked?
Kimberlee MacVicar, Oakland
Corrections and Clarifications
Arash Bayatmakou attended Boston University, not Boston College. He was featured in “When Things Stopped” [January 2018]. In “The Airbnb Touch” [January], the photo by Daniel Blue Photography was of interior design by Ricco Style Interior Design of Campbell.
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