Pubdate: Mon, 04 Sep 2000
Source: Anchorage Daily News (AK)
Copyright: 2000 The Anchorage Daily News
Contact:  http://www.adn.com/
Author: Loren Neitzey
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1231/a01.html

POT CAMPAIGN MISUNDERSTOOD

Anchorage attorney Wev Shea may truly believe that marijuana is as 
destructive as he described in his editorial ("Vote 'No' on Ballot Measure 
5, 99Hemp," Voice of the Times, Aug. 24). He may not question the 
government's multimillion-dollar campaigns against hemp and marijuana. Shea 
was probably not taught about the importance that hemp has in U.S. history. 
He probably never learned that hemp prohibition was brought about by racism 
and greed and not because it was a harmful drug. Or maybe he does know this 
but as an attorney has some financial gains in keeping marijuana illegal.

Shea defines "addictive" as "compulsive, repeated use in spite of adverse 
consequences." Marijuana's "adverse consequences" are with the laws. That 
is why thousands of Alaskans signed the petition to put Proposition 5 on 
the ballot. These people are not criminals. They don't want the criminal 
drug culture Shea described. They want legalization and regulation so that 
attorneys can prosecute the real criminals.

Loren Neitzey, Anchorage
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