To the editor:

As a number of groups push for medical marijuana and legalized marijuana in both Kansas and Missouri for this session of their respective legislatures, perhaps they and those making these decisions should look very carefully at the states that have already done so. 

Washington, Oregon and California have whole-heartedly accepted those ideas, but the promises that they made have fallen flat. Instead of actually controlling the trade, it seems that much of it is still being done illegally, as there is a great tax incentive not to follow the state regulations. Furthermore, rural counties are beset with armed, illegal operations and do not have the wherewithal to combat them. Additionally, these operations use restricted chemicals, steal water resources, and do environmental damage to the areas around them.  The great tax income boon promised to the state to fund social programs  has not lived up to the touted numbers, although the states’ coffers have received some benefit.  

While not having any real negative feelings about medical marijuana, for recreational marijuana, it would seem that the promise to eliminate the illegal trade and the cartel’s influence over such are but smoke and mirrors.  I would strongly urge legislators on both sides of the state line to delve deeply into the happenings in these states before they make any decisions — or we will likely see places in our national forests, state parks and rural areas where people stumble across strangely cleared spaces with booby-traps and armed guards.

Ken Meyer,

Lawrence