Pubdate: Sat, 05 Aug 2000
Source: Anchorage Daily News (AK)
Copyright: 2000 The Anchorage Daily News
Contact:  http://www.adn.com/
Author: Bryan Holmes

DECRIMINALIZATION IS SOLUTION

It seems to me that a majority of pro-hemp activists believe that legalized
marijuana would help the state's budget deficit. I seriously doubt if most
of these people are that interested in the state's budget, but are using
this platform to further their own agendas. Here we are again, back to logic
based on economics and not the real issues. It's sad that we live in a world
that judges success largely on a high rate of economic expansion.

One of the concerns of marijuana legalization in America is adding another
drug on top of other legal recreational drugs. These legal, commercial,
recreational drugs have plenty of their own problems affecting society as it
is.

I believe that the best path to take with marijuana is full
decriminalization. I do not support commercial marijuana. Let's leave these
decisions up to the "free" people of America, not play into our greed and
drilling consumers, especially children, with marijuana propaganda. I admit
that this is not the path of least resistance. This path will end the
disturbances due to marijuana prohibition and let people legally act as they
wish because they are doing it anyway. For you skeptics, read the most
recent research. The scientific society and governing bodies are in serious
disagreement about the effects of marijuana use. Marijuana is proven to be
considerably less toxic than alcohol. Who should we trust more, people who
do research on marijuana or people who do not? Let's work to clear the haze
which is the issue of marijuana prohibition.

- -- Bryan Holmes, Eagle River
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