Pubdate: Sat, 04 Dec 2010 Source: Union, The (Grass Valley, CA) Copyright: 2010 The Union Contact: http://apps.theunion.com/utils/forms/lettertoeditor/ Website: http://www.theunion.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/957 Author: Martin Webb Note: Martin Webb lives in Penn Valley. Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California) WHO ARE THE REAL RECREATIONAL DRUG USERS? It's been an interesting year for users of marijuana, as we've watched news media, politicians, law enforcement and fellow community members trot out their usual stale condemnations of marijuana based on the same old ignorance, prejudice and hypocrisy. I say ignorance because it's disappointingly clear that most folks don't know even the basic facts about marijuana, and they won't bother to lift a finger to find out the facts. The idea that anything said by politicians or law enforcement officers or news outlets must be the unvarnished truth has been proven time and again throughout human history to be a bad idea. Yet the information that most community members use to judge marijuana primarily comes from those same often-unreliable or biased sources. I say prejudice because quite often people who are presented with the facts about marijuana still refuse to acknowledge the truth, preferring to cling to disproven opinions. One shocking example of this was the farcical "Prop 19: Just the Facts" forum held in Grass Valley. The emcee from KNCO (I say emcee instead of "moderator" because he made zero attempt to keep the speakers on time or on topic) was openly prejudiced, as evidenced by his belligerently interrupting my post-forum chat with two of the speakers to say that he didn't believe anything I was saying. When I told him I'd send him info so he could easily check out the facts for himself and draw his own conclusions, he hollered that no, he did not want to see any facts or research that contradicted his pre-conceived notions. That's prejudice at its worst: do not show me any facts or information that might correct a misheld opinion; and this from the "moderator" at a "Just the Facts" forum. (It was clear many facts weren't welcome, since no pro-Prop. 19 speakers were allowed and the entire audience was completely forbidden from speaking.) I say hypocrisy because the overwhelming majority of adults in our community are themselves regular recreational drug users who happen to prefer as their dope to get high one of the most dangerous and toxic drugs: alcohol. Many of you are fond of referring to recreational drugs as "dope" and the users as people getting high, so to not be hypocritical, let's call alcohol what it is. All research conclusively shows that alcohol is a vastly more dangerous dope than marijuana ever will be. Day after day our newspaper proves how regularly destructive the recreational drug users of alcohol are: sexual assaults, violence against people and property, alcohol-fueled death and injury in vehicles, addiction, and family-sanctioned drinking starting as young as 9 years old. I'm sure many alcohol dopers in the community will be using their recreational drugs around kids during the holidays and even illegally share their drugs with their children. Not a single alcohol-drinking doper has a medical need for it, yet our community is loaded with HUNDREDS of for-profit recreational drug dispensaries locally permitted and ready to meet your cravings to get high. But just mention allowing one or two locally permitted non-profit medical marijuana dispensaries and the political hypocrisy erupts. We get to read about fundraisers for fighting breast cancer that offer recreational drug tastings, even though research shows alcohol has ties to breast cancer and no amount of it is safe when it comes to breast cancer. We get to read about anti-domestic violence fundraisers that offer recreational drug use (more tastings!), even though domestic violence is often fueled by alcohol. We also get to see local fundraisers aimed at fighting youth recreational drug use that tout recreational drugs will be available (beer and wine at the bar!). What's next, hosting an anti-lung cancer event with free cigarettes? If methamphetamine or heroin were behind even half of the crime and violence that alcohol is reported to be associated with in our local news, then we would be hearing constant cries that we're in an epidemic and something must be done. But alcohol? No way. We love it so much that we're willing to live in denial. Just ask law enforcement officers, who as chronic recreational drug users are known to abuse the drug alcohol at twice the rate that the public does. So remember: the majority of you readers are recreational drug users, with many of you addicted. Don't believe me? Then simply go 90 days without recreationally consuming the drugs alcohol, tobacco and caffeine. It's really that easy to prove! Because you're certainly not addicted to mind-altering recreational drugs, are you? - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom