To the Editor:

The recent article, “State Police Seize Marijuana Plants in Madrid” written in the Watertown Daily Times on Friday, September 19, highlighted the New York State Police along with a vast array of other law enforcement agencies have been making ongoing efforts to eradicate marijuana in Northern New York.

The article elaborates on the fact that law enforcement in the area otherwise known as Troop B; which consists of St. Lawrence, Franklin, Clinton, Essex and parts of Hamilton Counties have been focusing on marijuana eradication.

State police have been joined by county drug task forces, federal Homeland Security and Drug Enforcement Administration agents, sheriff’s deputies, Customs and Border Patrol, The Vermont National Guard and local police departments in the eradication efforts.

New York has apparently not gotten the message. With marijuana legalization support at an all-time high in this country, above 50 percent for the first time and the fact that four state have already legalized marijuana, it seems that New York State is dragging behind.

Even Washington D.C. has now legalized pot.

Tom Angell, chairman of Marijuana Majority, commented that, “ with marijuana legal in the federal government’s backyard it’s going to be increasingly difficult for national politicians to continue ignoring the growing majority of voters who want to end prohibition.”

Colorado and Washington State have posted the numbers from marijuana sales and they are extremely profitable to say they least. The sales tax revenues from legalized marijuana have raked in millions.

Colorado has even put money generated from marijuana taxation back into public education and infrastructure such as roads and bridges.

Money is also made through licensing fees from which growers are allowed to purchase a certain amount of seeds. The marijuana produced can be sold back to dispensaries and hospitals.

In Colorado, the state has saved money by not clogging up law enforcements, the courts, and the corrections system with such frivolous pursuits.

The question remains, why are law enforcement agencies in this are so bent on eradicating marijuana? With the money that is spent on helicopter usage, man hours, investigation time, processing time and attention overall, it seems that the time and money could be better spent on more serious pursuits.

New York State needs to understand that if marijuana was legalized and regulated properly, it has the potential to benefit us all.

Cory Chase

Canton