POT PROPOSAL

As a long time proponent of legalizing marijuana (and other recreational drugs), it’s my belief that society should proceed with the utmost caution given the many pitfalls not mentioned in your article (“A New Leaf,” Dec. 17-23.)

Let’s not be naïve to believe that medical marijuana is not diverted into the far more vast recreational user market. Nothing will stop that! Witness the diversion of Vicodin and OxyContin (referred to as heroin in a pill), which go from grandma’s medicine cabinet onto the streets of Seaside and every burg and metropolis all over the country. When pot is legalized, there will be huge potential for lawsuits. Who will insure the pot peddler of liability? Do not underestimate the many ways to escape taxation. Will there be “revenoors” combing the hills of Big Sur and North County for untaxed, unregistered weed? What respectable city in the country would even want to be associated with medical marijuana knowing the potential of diversion. Let’s face it, despite the medical benefits of marijuana for truly sick people, it’s still a drug that makes you goofy.

My suggestion: mail order. The warehousing and distribution would come from counties such as Mendocino, who have already lost their souls to marijuana profits. Shipping would be easy and anonymous with UPS and Fedex. Stop the madness of the never-ending drug war! But do it right. Tom Dominy
| Oak Hills

PEOPLE POWER

As I followed the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen I kept looking for some reference to population control. It continues to be the elephant in the room. Human caused climate change is due to one thing only – humans. How to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Reduce the number of people producing them. Fewer people equals fewer cars on the road, fewer goods produced in polluting factories and fewer acres of forest sacrificed to grow food crops. Bottom line: How to save the planet? Reduce the number of people living on it. Helen Ogden | Pacific Grove

MEATY MATTERS

A novelty only 30 years ago, meat-free diets are rapidly becoming the fashion for people who care about their family’s and their planet’s health.

According to U.S. Department of Agriculture, the number of animals killed for food this year is expected to drop by 6 percent from 2008.

Eating Animals and two other vegan books have made the bestseller list.

Meat industry expose Food, Inc. is being considered for an Oscar nomination.

Cargill, ConAgra, and other animal butchering empires, have launched a number of vegan food products.

In March, the National Cancer Institute reported that people who ate the most red meat were “most likely to die from cancer, heart disease and other causes.” In July, the conservative American Dietetic Association affirmed that “vegetarian and vegan diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.”

In the November issue of World Watch magazine, two World Bank scientists have claimed that meat production may account for more than half of man-made greenhouse gas emissions.

The dawn of the New Year is a great time to explore the new dietary fashion and all the delicious, healthful vegan foods in our supermarkets. Clarence Wells | Monterey