GUZZLING BEER and wine on the links could soon be legal in Massachusetts if state lawmakers get their way ("Is alcohol par for the course?" City & Region, July 22). Many amateur golfers find alcohol to be a relaxing or refreshing addition to the game, and some more competitive players even use it to calm their nerves. Although such legislation is sure to appease folks who enjoy mixing rounds of golf with rounds of drinks, it has others worried. Some fear it would lead to more rowdy behavior and possibly damage to courses.
Let me recommend a potential solution: grass. Not grass like that on the green; the other "green": marijuana. As with alcohol, many adults use marijuana to relax and recreate. Yet it does not contribute to all the fighting, property damage, and other unpleasant behavior that often accompanies boozing. Sure, it may sound like a long shot now. But as more people come to realize marijuana is safer than alcohol, it's only a matter of time before laws prohibiting it are scratched and its use simply becomes par for the course.
MASON TVERT
Executive director, Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation
Denver
