Pubdate: Tue, 22 May 2001 Source: Village Voice (NY) Copyright: 2001 Village Voice Media, Inc Contact: http://www.villagevoice.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/482 Section: Mad on the Street (Interviews) Author: Coco McPherson MAD ON THE STREET The Supreme Court Recently Ruled Against the Use of Medical Marijuana. Good Call or Bad? Keep Off the Grass KELLY ABRAHAM Age 29 Resides Manhattan Occupation At-home mother If you were seriously ill, would you buy pot even though it's illegal? Yes. I was just talking about this with my six-year-old son. Even though I don't want him to smoke pot, I do think it has real medicinal uses. Do you think marijuana leads to harder drugs? No. Someone who uses harder drugs has a propensity for checking out anyway. Having said that, I do think marijuana can be addictive. What's illegal that shouldn't be? Strip clubs and prostitution. If I want to buy sex, why shouldn't I? Marijuana should be legal. What's legal and what's decent are very confused here. Nude Greek statues were once considered indecent. Now they're classical works of art. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ---- YUKO HIEDA Age 28 Resides Brooklyn Occupation Flower arranger If you were seriously ill, would you buy pot even though it's illegal? If I were that sick, I'd choose a natural treatment like that. I'd do anything to avoid being in pain, regardless of whether the medicine were legal or not. Do you think marijuana leads to harder drugs? No. It's totally unrelated to the other drugs. What's illegal that shouldn't be? I don't know about pot, because some people can handle it and some can't. I'm afraid that many feminists would be angry if I said I thought prostitution should be legal, but a system of protection would be good for both the client and the worker. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ---- JORGE NAVARRO Age 36 Resides Brooklyn Occupation Teaching artist If you were seriously ill, would you buy pot even though it's illegal? Yes, absolutely. If I had kids, I'd say, "I'm terminally ill, and I'm going to break the law to help myself." We should act like a nation of Thomas Paines. We're descendants of dissenters. Do you think marijuana leads to harder drugs? No. It's false science. What's illegal that shouldn't be? Marijuana should be legalized and taxed. It's the world's biggest cash crop. The government could control a bunch of dumb stoners a lot better than it could a gang of drunks. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ---- GEZIM Age 21 Resides Brooklyn Occupation Disc jockey If you were seriously ill, would you buy pot even though it's illegal? Yes, because people say it's an effective treatment. If your grandmother was suffering from cataracts, you could offer her a hash pipe and it would help. Do you think marijuana leads to harder drugs? Yes. I know people who stopped getting a high from marijuana and so turned to other, harder drugs. What's illegal that shouldn't be? I want to know why alcohol is legal. People get drunk and get in the car and run other people over. To people who say prostitution should be legal, I say, "Get a girlfriend. Get a boyfriend." - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ---- COLLEEN KESTERSON Age 21 Resides Westchester Occupation Costume designer If you were seriously ill, would you buy pot even though it's illegal? Yes, I think I would. Do you think marijuana leads to harder drugs? Maybe in the case of kids who start smoking it at 13 or 14, but I doubt that someone suffering from end-stage cancer is going to turn to heroin as a result of smoking marijuana medicinally. What's illegal that shouldn't be? I don't personally do drugs, but I don't think pot is anywhere near as bad as coke or heroin. I think it leads to a desire to eat a lot and listen to bad records. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ---- JOHN O Age 27 Resides Manhattan Occupation Musician If you were seriously ill, would you buy pot even though it's illegal? Yes, if I knew it was going to alleviate my pain. Do you think marijuana leads to harder drugs? No, that's just a mental game designed to scare people. People who go on to harder things are going anyway. What's illegal that shouldn't be? Spitting. And drinking in public. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ---- MARVIN TUCKER Age 32 Resides Manhattan Occupation Merchandiser If you were seriously ill, would you buy pot even though it's illegal? No. If it's illegal, it's illegal. Having said that, they should find a medical alternative for people who are sick. Do you think marijuana leads to harder drugs? Yes, like all drugs it's addictive. What's illegal that shouldn't be? I would say illegal immigration. If you've managed to get here, you should be able to stay without worrying that you're going to be sent back. - --- MAP posted-by: Andrew