I greatly appreciate that Larry Carson mentioned two of my most important campaign issues in his Sept. 30 article ("Candidates face off for general election at forum").

However, the drug "spice" is not "likened to marijuana." It is in fact synthetic marijuana equal to the real thing in terms of the effect on the mind — yet legal and readily available to children. Cases of respiratory problems have also been reported by users of this product. And it is believed that exposure to high dosages can cause unconsciousness, short-term memory loss, damage to the heart, liver, kidney, lungs and brain.

There is no regulation of spice because it is marketed as incense, which is not only inaccurate but horribly deceptive. We must protect our children and put an end to "spice" sales in Maryland. Personally, I see no more important issue than protecting our children from improperly regulated, dangerous substances.

Second, my proposal to solve the illegal immigration problem will not only raise $350 million a year, it will also stabilize wages by eliminating an underground workforce, and it will provide law enforcement with the tools that they need to effectively and efficiently track illegal immigrants within Maryland's borders. Thus, the annual $1,000 that undocumented workers will be required to pay is not a fine but a pay-to-work program designed to process their data into the state's database for taxable income. I believe we must take this position until our federal government provides us with a permanent solution to this problem.

Joseph Hooe

The writer is a candidate for the House of Delegates in District 12A.