Pubdate: Tue, 21 Jan 2003
Source: Oklahoma Daily, The (OK Edu)
Copyright: 2003 Oklahoma Daily
Contact:  http://www.oudaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1371
Note: This paper is published by the University of Oklahoma
Author: Jason Groves

LEGALIZING POT IS IMPRACTICAL AND WOULD NOT EFFECT AVAILABILITY

I am writing in response to Ms. Cummin's opinion that "pot is no worse than 
other drugs." Let me begin by saying that I respect Cummin's opinion and 
happen to agree with her somewhat that the abuse of "other" drugs such as 
alcohol and tobacco produce many risks to health. However, I believe the 
essential difference between alcohol and marijuana presides in the fact 
that alcohol can be and should be consumed in moderation. Call me naive, 
but I believe Carissa's assertion that the ills of society are credited to 
the use of alcohol to be provocatively unfair and flawed. It is the ABUSE 
of alcohol that accounts for 50 percent of violent crimes, not merely the 
moderate use of the substance. Such is my point; the difference between 
alcohol and "pot" is simply that you can't moderately smoke out. One hit 
and you're stoned. I think that if people were unaware of this fact, the 
law would protect the use of MJ.

- --Jason Groves, political science sophomore
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens