Pubdate: Mon, 12 Jan 2015
Source: Lincoln Journal Star (NE)
Copyright: 2015 Lincoln Journal Star
Contact:  http://www.journalstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/561
Author: Lorene Ludy

MARIJUANA AND OTHER SINS

I applaud the two recent thoughtful articles about marijuana ("Cindy 
Lange-Kubick: A legal doobie for Nebraska?," Jan. 6, "Cannabis Crazy: 
It could happen to you," Jan. 7). Both Cindy Lange-Kubick and Susan 
Shapiro spoke from their own experience as well as citing research 
which supports their opinions. Both reinforce my belief that 
marijuana possession and use should not be criminal. While I agree 
with Shapiro that "marijuana essentially fries your brain," I also 
believe that alcohol, gambling, pornography, sugar, caffeine, 
football, tv, and violence are not good for our brains but we don't 
have laws to prohibit those things. What "sins" do we let people make 
their own choices about? How do we teach people to make mature 
choices about behavior which can be harmful to themselves or others?

Instead of a community which attempts to prohibit any potential harm, 
I would prefer to live in a community where people have a safe place 
to live, healthy and adequate food, accessible and affordable health 
care, meaningful work with living wages, clean air and water. I'd 
rather lawmakers focused on ensuring those things and I can do my 
part by loving my neighbor, feeding the hungry, visiting the 
imprisoned, healing the sick and respecting each others different 
choices and opinions.

Lorene Ludy, Lincoln
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom