Pubdate: Sun, 19 Jul 2015
Source: Plain Dealer, The (Cleveland, OH)
Copyright: 2015 The Plain Dealer
Contact: http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/letter-to-editor/
Website: http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/342
Note: priority given to local letter writers
Author: Thomas Haren
Note: The Rev. Thomas Haren is pastor of St. Monica Church in Garfield Heights.

LEGALIZING MARIJUANA IN OHIO WOULD OPEN THE DOOR TO PLENTY OF PROBLEMS

Guest columnist Fr. Thomas Haren was ordained a priest for the 
Diocese of Cleveland in 1973. Has served as a priest at six different 
parishes in Cuyahoga County. He is currently the pastor of St. Monica 
Church in Garfield Heights where he has served since 2005.

Just think, in a few months the use of marijuana may become legal in 
Ohio. Did you ever think how this could affect our lives? For 
example, during the past 30 years we have demonized "smokers." Now we 
will have a new group to demonize - "pot heads."

Won't it be wonderful to know that the "first responders" to handle 
crisis in our communities namely, our EMTs, police officers and 
firemen will possibly be more relaxed because of marijuana use when 
they come to our aid. It really makes one feel safer, doesn't it?

Imagine how this could affect our hospitals and medical personnel. 
Wouldn't it be comforting to know that the surgeon who is operating 
on you just smoked a few joints before the operation? Perhaps using 
"pot" will help the nurses and medical staff, who assist the doctors, 
to have more fun when they work.

Then there are those who will drive under the influence of this 
legalized drug. The police will have more opportunities to give out 
traffic tickets for violations. Perhaps there will be more accidents, 
enabling the repair shops to make more money from repairs and 
allowing the insurance companies to raise premiums.

Consider how marijuana use might influence the manufacturing 
industry. Factory employees and construction workers might have fun 
watching their coworkers violate OSHA standards, do stupid things at 
work, and inflict really "good" injuries on themselves.

Another possible affect of marijuana use could be the increase in the 
number of individuals on welfare because of accidents and job loss. 
This could necessitate an increase of programs to serve them, giving 
those of us who are not on welfare the opportunity to pay more in 
taxes to support them.

Along the same lines, our hospitals will be able to open more clinics 
to treat the abusers of "legalized marijuana" thereby making the 
healthcare sector more profitable. Of course, all who work would be 
required to pay more for health insurance to pay for this.

Then there is the illegal drug trade - always with us whether drugs 
are pronounced legal or not. For those who purchase marijuana legally 
but are unable to get the "high" they desire, there will be a need 
for more potent drugs to take care of this need. This could provoke a 
new industry and provide a new source of income for the illegal "drug 
cartels" in Latin America.

One other group of persons should also be considered -- our children. 
We know that children will obey their parents' wishes and not use 
legal marijuana until they are "of age." But consider the possibility 
that they might try it. Wouldn't it be nice for parents to be able to 
spend time at hospitals, police stations, and courtrooms getting to 
share their experiences with other parents.

We send the generations that follow us and are influenced by our 
choices to a future we will not see. Do you still consider it a great 
idea for the citizens of Ohio to legalize marijuana? (Personally, I don't!)
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom