Selective law enforcement
The Seattle Police Department has been trumpeting its respect for and cooperation with the new marijuana law [“State’s pot era lights up to smoke, dreams, angst,” page one, Dec. 7]. However, it has also announced that it will not be writing citations for smoking pot in public, something the new law clearly prohibits.

At times, it seems the SPD is very selective in the enforcement of our laws.

—Bob Knudson, Seattle

Federal government approval matters
In response to “Feds still reviewing new marijuana law, plan no action on eve of legalization” [seattletimes.com, Nov. 5], my main reaction is: Didn’t we all see this coming?

No matter how many states vote to loosen the restrictions on marijuana, it really means nothing without the approval of the federal government. And since we also know Congress moves slower than glaciers (which we won’t be able to say for much longer, as the glaciers are all melting), it’s safe to say that we won’t be hearing about any decision made anytime soon.

In the meantime, Washington and Colorado deserve respect for being the first states to step up and say: There’s a bigger problem here, and it’s not caused by smoking weed; it’s having nearly one-eighth of America’s prisoners in jail on marijuana charges when there are so many worse drugs and crimes to be in jail for.
Now, if we could find a way to raise state revenue even more from taxing the growing and distribution, I’d say we’d be off to a good start.

—Robert Burns, Bellingham