Pubdate: Sun, 03 May 2009
Source: Guardian (Wright State U, OH Edu)
Copyright: 2009 Guardian
Contact: http://www.theguardianonline.com/2.9150
Website: http://www.theguardianonline.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4586
Author: Frederick
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n476/a04.html

REGARDING THE LETTER "AN ARGUMENT AGAINST THE LEGALIZATION OF WEED"

Just a couple thoughts for the author of this article.  Kaitlyn, I 
believe is her name.

First, "weed" isn't the preferred nomenclature.  Cannabis, or 
marijuana, would do just fine, and would  make you sound much less pretentious.

Next, 10 Billion dollars (you can check that) is what  the Drug 
Enforcement Agency spent last year on the  prohibition of marijuana. 
Not heroin, or cocaine, just  "weed". Ask yourself this: are adults, 
who partake in  their homes; worth those kind of tax dollars?

You finish your article with this line, "Just imagine  the 
consequences if the drug were legalized." Would you  mind letting 
your readers know what consequences you're  referring to? You might 
take a look at what affect  Portugal's drug policy has had on usage.

Finally, Kaitlyn, research why marijuana was first made  illegal. The 
racial overtones will turn your stomach(or  so I hope). Also, try 
watching anti-cannabis propaganda  from the era in which the law was 
enacted... it's  laughable.

Well, I guess this next point is my final one. Kaitlyn,  I'm an 
adult. Can you please tell me a scenario in  which growing a couple 
of plants with the yearly tomato  garden would affect anything but my 
lungs. Please give  a valid argument against an adult being able to 
grow, cure, and smoke a plant, in the privacy of their own  home. 
And, the health care cost relayed to taxpayers  argument doesn't fly. 
That argument is a slippery slope  to making eating fatty foods a 
punishable offense.

The function of the Federal Government is to protect  citizens from 
foreign armies, and to regulate  interstate commerce. I know that the 
Fed. has grossly  abused it's role in the past 100 years, but it's 
time  we roll that back. Civil liberties, Kaitlyn, that's my  main 
argument. Civil liberties. Please keep your hands,  opinions, and 
morals where they belong... with you;  far, far away from my body. 
You won't find me saying  that the money from regulation and taxation 
will save  the country from economic disaster, but a couple  billion 
here and there wouldn't exactly destroy the  union, would it?

Thank you for taking time to read this response.

Frederick
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom