By misrepresenting the initiative, calling people stupid if they've ever used marijuana and minimizing the harmful effects of C.O.R.I., Howie Carr himself comes across as the stupid one ("Sensible pot a half-baked policy, dude," July 6).

We can continue with the same failed approach to simple marijuana possession — which costs Massachusetts taxpayers $30 million a year and creates 7,500 new C.O.R.I.s — or we can look for an approach that works. Eleven other states have passed similar laws and they've shown no increase in marijuana use or crimes related to marijuana use. Such an approach works.