Pubdate: Sat, 30 Jan 2010
Source: Times-Herald, The (Vallejo, CA)
Copyright: 2010 The Times-Herald
Contact:  http://www.timesheraldonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/993
Author: Jarred Cartwright

WHAT'S THE HARM IN MARIJUANA?

The big debate on marijuana, for both medical and non-medical use, is 
heating up all around the nation - perhaps nowhere more so than here 
in the San Francisco Bay Area. I know how I feel, but I am interested 
to see how others from all corners of the nation - or world - feel 
about this pressing issue.

What is the big deal about marijuana? Have any of the people opposing 
its legalization actually taken the "drug"? In what way could it 
possibly have any negative effect upon the community? The only thing 
bad it could do is if the underage kids got a hold of it and started 
smoking it all the time - they would become lazy and make bad use of 
their time. If you're worried about the kids, consider the fact that 
kids already have no trouble seeking out and successfully finding and 
smoking it, just as they do with alcohol.

Making it legal for adults wouldn't make it any easier for them to 
get their hands on it. Tobacco and alcohol are both legal for adults 
to consume. Tobacco is more harmful for one's health than marijuana 
(due in part to the fact that its doused in chemicals?). Alcohol has 
a far more powerful psychological effect than marijuana. Thousands of 
Americans die every year from alcohol-related deaths. This includes 
drunk driving accidents, over-consumption leading to alcohol poisoning, etc.

On the other hand, how many ever die from marijuana-related 
incidents? I'd feel far safer sharing the road exclusively with pot 
heads than I would with a few people that have a liquor buzz going.

As far as over-consumption, you couldn't possibly smoke too much pot 
to do any major damage to your vital organs. You might feel woozy or 
nauseous, but the worst you could ever do is smoke so much you soon 
fall asleep.

As far as the effect on society, the only thing negative about 
marijuana is that it is technically illegal. Sure, drug dealers do 
terrible things like kill each other and even kill innocent people. 
The illegal drug trade is ruthless, no doubt. So why not take 
marijuana out of the illegal drug trade and sell it at 7-Eleven? 
Business would profit more - the sale of marijuana would surely be 
taxed, just as alcohol and tobacco are. Our police departments would 
not only be less distracted, taking one more issue off of their busy 
hands would allow them focus on more important issues. And they would 
also gain significantly more funding to do so.

People aren't getting high off marijuana and going to rob old ladies 
or go murder people or whatever the fear of it is. If people are 
going to do that kind of stuff they're going to do it regardless. 
People get high on PCP - not marijuana - and go act like a crazy 
maniac. I say this to address possible fears people may have about marijuana.

As for medical marijuana, what possible reason can you give to deny a 
cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy, or someone who suffers 
glaucoma, or other ailments the medical marijuana patients suffer, 
from using it? Does it really physically help their body heal? I 
don't know. But if they are suffering, and taking marijuana makes 
them feel better, then why do they not have the right to ease their pain?

Billions of dollars are spent annually on the war on drugs. They 
should be focused on the drugs that plague our society like 
methamphetamine and crack cocaine. The ones that make people go out 
and stab people for the hard-earned money in their wallet.

Marijuana can make you lazy and unproductive, and it smells kind of 
funny. Other than that, I simply fail to see the harm in it. Sure, 
it's not the best thing - the most productive, or the most healthy - 
one can do for themselves, but why does it have to be illegal?

Jarred Cartwright

American Canyon
- ---
MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart