Regarding the letter, "Bring back Prohibition," I think the writer is dead wrong. Alcohol prohibition spawned gangsters, corruption, and unsafe products that were still consumed by many. While drunk driving is a serious offense, to argue for banning all use of alcohol due to the few who use it recklessly is absurd. In fact, the drug war is another prohibition and should be repealed. Increased gang violence, unpure products resulting in overdoses and corruption are still prevalent because we have not learned the lesson that the "noble experiment" does not work. [continues 73 words]
The letter by Mr. Holmboe wrote ("Reform is a must," Aug. 11) is correct that "expensive pills" are the preferred method for many when it comes to health care and I agree that health care should be getting cheaper not more expensive with each technological advance. However, there are people who the pills do not help or sometimes the side effects are simply worse than the condition and some of these folks find relief from using cannabis, a plant. Imagine how cheap health care could be if people could grow their medicine instead of having to purchase expensive pills to combat the side effects of the other expensive pills. [continues 58 words]
The Illinois Chapter of the National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws supports Cook County's efforts to ticket cannabis offenders, the problem with the cannabis decriminalization ordinance is that it allows the officers to use their discretion and can issue an arrest or a ticket. This will lead to cases of discriminatory arrests and a better policy would be to simply issue the ticket and allow the officer to arrest the subject only if they have a warrant or are breaking some other law. [continues 67 words]
Thank you for publishing Dennis Garland's letter illustrating the need for a medical cannabis program in Illinois. It is amazing how many people are upset with the health-care system in this country, but an option that would allow sick people to provide medicine for themselves at a fraction of a cost comes with such nonsensical opposition. Before cannabis was outlawed in 1937, it was one of the most widely used medicines and many sick people still find relief from consuming this plant, whether it is smoking it, ingesting it in food or using a vaporizer. In our age of drug advertisements with a list of potential side effects, a safe and natural medicine should be legally allowed for sick Illinoisans. [continues 191 words]
The Illinois Chapter of the National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws supports Cook County's efforts to ticket cannabis offenders. The problem with the cannabis decriminalization ordinance, however, is that it allows the officers to use their discretion and can issue an arrest or a ticket. This will lead to cases of discriminatory arrests. A better policy would be to simply issue the ticket and allow the officer to arrest the subject only if they have a warrant or are breaking some other law. Cannabis should be legal and regulated like alcohol and tobacco and until that happens ticketing cannabis offenders is much better than arresting them; however, so long as the market is still illegal problems will occur. Until the underground market is brought above the table and legal cannabis prohibition will bring about the same problems that alcohol prohibition did. Dan Linn Chicago [end]
Congressman Mark Kirk's proposed legislation increasing penalties for "super pot" is a blatant attempt to shore up conservative credentials following his recent divorce and desire to seek higher office. At a time when some states are looking to tax and regulate cannabis to help with struggling budgets (California and Massachusetts) and others are passing or at least considering medical cannabis programs (13 states have medical cannabis laws), Rep. Kirk thinks a lock 'em up and throw away the key approach will eliminate dealers. The proposed bill is nothing more than political chest thumping. [continues 161 words]
It is too bad the writer of the recent letter, "Police are doing a good job going after drugs," doesn't realize that the amount of drugs that the police confiscate has very little impact into the overall illegal drug market. The 8,320 pounds of illegal drugs that were confiscated on I-55 last year are just a sliver of the entire illegal drug market in Illinois. History reveals that prohibition did not work with alcohol and the war on drugs is simply another prohibition. [continues 88 words]
On Election Day last year, Michigan voters made their state the 13th to allow seriously ill patients to use medical cannabis upon the recommendation of a physician. Now, 71 million people -- about 24 percent of Americans -- live in one of the 13 states that allow the doctor-advised, medical use of cannabis. Suffering patients in Illinois, however, still face arrest for relieving their symptoms with an effective treatment option. Such a measure enjoys massive support in Illinois. A 2008 poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research shows Illinois residents favor allowing seriously and terminally ill patients to use marijuana for medical purposes by a 68 percent to 27 percent margin. [continues 258 words]
I find it disheartening that the Rockton chief of police is using scare tactics and false logic to express his opinion of the medical cannabis legislation ("Allowing medicinal marijuana could lead to a slippery slope," Opinions, May 17). The FDA classifies cannabis as a schedule 1 narcotic with no accepted medical use. However, the federal government supplies medical cannabis to a small group of patients from the Compassionate Investigational New Drug Program, which was phased out because of an overwhelming amount of applications. [continues 126 words]
Illinois medical cannabis patients cannot wait another year to be protected from arrest for using a medicine their doctor recommends. Illinois' medical cannabis patients need safe and legal access to their medicine. Over the past few years, the law enforcement lobby in Springfield has constantly opposed our efforts to protect these patients, all the while claiming to be "compassionate" toward the sick. If law enforcement were willing to work with the sponsors of these bills, perhaps Illinois medical cannabis patients would be protected today. [continues 220 words]
In response to the SVN editorial "Challenge to citizens: Gang up on gangs" from Feb. 18, I think the underlying point was missed, since it never stated that the war on drugs is causing most of the gang violence, because the illegal drug market is instigating the same violence that alcohol prohibition did in Chicago. The violence will not end until the profits from an illegal drug market are eradicated, and the way to do that is to regulate, medicalize, and tax currently illegal drugs. Not only would that take away the profit that fuels gangs and leads to gang violence, but it would also make some of the most dangerous substances safer. [continues 145 words]
Lawmakers should turn to regulating and taxing cannabis to help with struggling budgets. It is amazing that nobody even mentions or considers it when it is a budding market to be taxed and regulated. Currently in its illegal form, drug dealers, organized crime and large drug cartels profit financially from the sales and consumption of cannabis. The same was true during alcohol prohibition. The time has come for America to end our policy of arresting and incriminating adults who use marijuana responsibly. Use it recklessly, endanger others and one should be punished accordingly but for those adults who use it responsibly they should be able to purchase it legally just like alcohol, tobacco or pornography. Literally, billions of dollars could be made in tax revenue and costs saved by not arresting and imprisoning these adults. Last year there were over 800,000 arrests for cannabis, a plant. Imagine how many people did not get arrested and then consider what so many have said for years. Legalize it. Dan Linn [end]
Thank you for publishing the letter about money-making ideas and legalizing cannabis. I would like to illustrate how hypocritical the federal government's war on cannabis consumers really is and why sick people are the victims of this failed policy. Illinois needs a medical cannabis program to protect these individuals who use this medication from arrest and having to turn to the black market for their relief. With the passage of Michigan's medical cannabis law, where it passed in every county, almost 25 percent of America now lives in a state where cannabis can be recommended by a physician. Those people in Illinois who could benefit from this program should have the compassionate right to use cannabis with their doctor's recommendation. (National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws) Chicago [end]
Cannabis is a viable tax source our government should tap. Our current prohibition approach is not working, and taxing and regulating the adult cannabis market is long overdue. During tough times, why keep raising other taxes when most cannabis users would prefer to buy a legal product? Surely a new excise tax is better than raising the sales, property or some other taxes. Plus, those who do not use cannabis would benefit since their taxes would not go up. End cannabis prohibition; tax and regulate adult use. Dan Linn Sycamore [end]
America is the only industrial nation that does not grow hemp. Hemp can be used for many things and at one time in colonial America was illegal not to grow but because of its relations to the cannabis plant it has been outlawed. However, during WWII there was a "Hemp for Victory" campaign. Illinois should allow its farmers to grow hemp once again. There is not one good reason to continue banning the production of hemp in America. It could help with our struggling economic times or at least should be an option for Illinois farmers. When things get tough shouldn't all options be considered? [continues 104 words]
I would like to thank the Springfield City Council for passing the ordinance to allow officers to issue a citation for low-level cannabis offenses. Cannabis use is not the demonic substance that it has been portrayed in the past and, in fact, it is a plant that can be very helpful to many people suffering from a wide range of conditions. Many people who use cannabis are responsible, motivated and respectable people. Cannabis could be a viable tax source and more local municipalities are beginning to notice as demonstrated by the number of cities issuing fines instead of wasting time arresting and prosecuting every low-level cannabis offense. These fines are just the fringe of the potential money the government could be making in excise taxes if cannabis were legal. [continues 93 words]
Taxing and regulating cannabis similar to alcohol would generate needed income for the state and local governments of Illinois. Why are we arresting otherwise law-abiding citizens for their recreational use of cannabis? Isn't this a free country? Arresting responsible marijuana users wastes tax dollars. The 70-year cannabis prohibition needs to be repealed. Taxing responsible marijuana users could provide needed funds for the government. Responsible users are not the problem and should not be punished. There will be those who break laws while under the influence of cannabis, and they should be punished if they broke the law. Being high is no better an excuse than being drunk. [continues 188 words]
Barack Obama has admitted to using cannabis/marijuana, but so did Bill Clinton -- and cannabis arrest rates rose dramatically under Clinton's administration. I hope Obama's campaign for change holds true. I hope he does not follow in Clinton's footsteps and hypocritically continues to arrest adults who use cannabis responsibly. Doctors in 13 states can legally recommend cannabis for medical purposes. In Michigan recently, every single county voted in favor of medical cannabis. Obama has said he would not continue to arrest patients in states that have medical cannabis laws, but he has flip-flopped on whether to remove penalties for adult cannabis consumption. In a question-and-answer at change.gov, he was asked if would consider legalizing cannabis. His response was a flat no, without any reason. Obama should end cannabis prohibition and allow states to tax and regulate it as they wish. Dan Linn, Sycamore [end]
In response to "Lock 'em up for good," I find it appalling that Mr. Pabst wants to send nonviolent drug offenders to jail for 50 years. Nonviolent drug offenses should not be a crime at all, let alone a life sentence, which 50 years might as well be. Maybe Mr. Pabst should instead call for a return to alcohol prohibition, too. Alcohol prohibition failed and so has the War on Drugs. Most gang violence would be reduced if drugs were legal and regulated just like alcohol. Take a lesson from the history books, and end the failed War on Drugs. [continues 82 words]
Cannabis prohibition has failed just like alcohol prohibition failed. When will politicians learn that adults who want to get high will find a way to get high, just like those who wanted to get drunk were able to get drunk during alcohol prohibition? A regulated and taxed cannabis market for adults is long overdue in America. By regulating the market it would make it tougher for teenagers to acquire the substance as well, since our current system of prohibition has no oversight of dealers. By making cannabis sales similar to alcohol sales, with licensed sellers and age restrictions, teenagers would actually have a more difficult time acquiring cannabis. Plus, this would allow adults to purchase the product legally instead of being forced to go through the black market. [continues 394 words]
