Pubdate: Sun, 03 May 2009
Source: Casper Star-Tribune (WY)
Copyright: 2009 Lee Enterprises
Contact:  http://www.trib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/765
Author: Amanda Dunlap

HARMLESS PLANT SHOULD BE LEGAL

Editor:

Everyone thinks we're so progressive and ahead of the curve; well, we 
really aren't. It really grinds my gears that Americans and all the 
politicians supposedly "representing" us, whose job it is to do what 
is best and smart, can't pull their heads out of the ground and take 
a minute to think about the economic pros to legalizing a little 
harmless plant known as weed.

Marijuana is less harmful than both tobacco and alcohol; funny how 
both of those are totally socially acceptable. Alcohol kills 
thousands of people a year, whether it's due to a drunk driver or 
kidney failure. What about pot? I say no victim, no crime! About the 
only problem legalizing weed would cause is a mass shortage of 
Doritos and Hostess snack cakes at local convenience stores, and more 
hazy-eyed, peaceful people forgetting what they were about to say.

Why don't we worry about something that's actually worth our time to 
fight? Um, maybe crazy coke fiends, or scumbags cooking meth around 
their children, or the people ruining their lives by booting black 
tar heroin into their veins. Why do we waste our effort and money 
busting harmless college deadheads with a spliff in their pockets?

If we were to legalize weed, put an age on it (let's just say 18), 
and tax it, we could drastically reduce our nation's debt within 10 
years. Maybe you're afraid people will be driving around blazed out 
of their mind and cause wrecks and death? Well, I'm sure us "smart" 
Americans can think of a way to test if someone who has been smoking 
is driving and give them a DUI, same rules apply. I'm also not 
implying people should be able to walk down a public street and burn 
one, either. Smoking would be limited to "coffee shops" (like in 
Amsterdam) or one's own home.

If you want to know the truth just visit www.norml.org. Pot is not 
harmful! People that use it are not criminals! And pot is one of the 
top 10 ideas presented to our president to help our country and get 
it back on its feet, and I hope he does the smart thing.

Amanda Dunlap,  Casper
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom