Pubdate: Sun, 22 Apr 2012
Source: Reporter, The (Vacaville, CA)
Contact:  2012 The Reporter
Website: http://www.thereporter.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/472
Author: Fred Doran

MARIJUANA FALLOUT HIGH

Ernest Kimme's column ("Time to end war on drugs,", April 17) causes 
reason for concern. Mr. Kimme takes a position that legalization and 
taxation of highly psychoactive chemicals is a reasonable way to help 
balance our state's budget. While I understand the basis for his 
position of legalizing drugs for tax purposes -- people just want to 
get high and we should tax them for the privilege -- I disagree with 
that position.

Mr. Kimme wrote nothing about the bad that marijuana has done to 
individual lives or to families who have been severely affected by 
marijuana abuse and addiction.

And, of course, there was no mention of the obvious negative effects 
marijuana use has on the development of our youth or that marijuana, 
for many, ushered in the use of other drugs, such as cocaine, 
methamphetamine, ecstasy or LSD.

His comments primarily concentrated on the cost of the war on drugs 
and how much money we can make off legalizing another vice.

In California, marijuana is second only to amphetamines as the 
primary drug used by those persons admitted to treatment for drug 
abuse or addiction, and the number of persons listing marijuana as 
their primary drug of abuse is far above the number of persons 
seeking treatment for alcohol abuse or addiction.

In 2011, more than 30,000 Californians sought treatment for problems 
related to marijuana abuse or addiction.

Not surprisingly, about 75 percent of those persons seeking treatment 
for marijuana addiction fell in the 21 years and under category, and 
of those, more than 50 percent fell into the 17 years and under 
category. What have we done to our youth?

There are faces attached to the issues raised in the discussion about 
the legalization of marijuana.

Those are NOT the faces of Benjamin Franklin or Andrew Jackson or any 
other past president represented on our currency; those faces are of 
our children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, friends and neighbors.

I obviously know there are some members of our community who, for a 
fistful of dollars, are willing to encourage others into drug abuse 
and addiction through the legalization of highly psychoactive 
chemicals, but I believe the majority of us would not wish to see 
anyone in the grip of a drug-related disease.

The war on drug abuse will be won only on an individual basis in our 
homes, schools and churches through treatment and education, but the 
war on drug dealers must be fought by our federal, state and local 
law enforcement and must be fought in a fervent manner.

It is infantile to believe legalizing drugs will stop gangs from 
killing each other or innocent persons, and equally infantile to 
believe organized crime and drug trafficking organizations will stop 
pumping thousands of pounds of drugs into our state once a tax stamp 
is affixed to a Zip Lock bag.

A quote from Confucius: "The gentleman understands what is right, 
whereas the petty man understands profit."

Fred Doran

Vacaville
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