Pubdate: Thu, 14 Sep 2000
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2000 The Denver Post
Contact:  1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202
Fax: (303) 820.1502
Website: http://www.denverpost.com/
Forum: http://www.denverpost.com/voice/voice.htm
Author: Keith Francis, Kenneth J. Brixius, William Mahoney
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1306/a05.html
Bookmark: additional articles on Colorado are available at 
http://www.mapinc.org/states/co.htm and articles on cannabis are available 
at http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm

MARIJUANA USE

HONESTY VS. LYING

Re: "State leads in marijuana use," Sept. 1 news story.

You've got to be kidding. How can a national study determine which state 
has the most illegal drug use? What do they do? Do a scientific study and 
poll all the "known" drug users, and ask "what is your drug of choice and 
how much do you use it?" Ask teenagers? How "scientific" is this study?

It's an "opinion poll" at least, and a "b------- poll at best.

Do you really expect a person to admit to using illegal drugs to a U.S. 
agency? Either Colorado has more honest people or more liars.

KEITH FRANCIS Morrison

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FAILED WAR ON DRUGS

The article about how Colorado has one of the highest marijuana uses should 
reflect on how the so-called War on Drugs has failed, and failed miserably.

After national spending of billions and billions of dollars on this War on 
Drugs, don't you find it interesting that nothing has really been done? If 
you would really look into the matter, you would find that it is just as 
easy today as it was 20 years ago to obtain these illegal drugs, although 
more expensive. In Denver, the mayor has appointed a "drug czar." We have a 
drug court. Some serious thinking should be done to really find out if 
these are all working.

Let us see, we have a drug czar who came up through the ranks working in a 
drug court where there is a constant and growing workload. Yet all of these 
cases involve people doing what they want to do and there is not anyone 
that is twisting their arm to make them do it. They just have the 
misfortune to be caught doing what they choose to do and the idiotic laws 
that have been made to keep them from doing it.

Let us think of the tax dollars that could be made from the legal sale. It 
is a politician's dream of a neverending tax revenue since there are always 
people that will buy these drugs.

If these people are not harming anyone but themselves, why continue this 
charade? Or have we progressed to the point of allowing only the 
politicians to do our thinking?

KENNETH J. BRIXIUS Denver

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PREDICTABLE REACTION

The Denver Post showed a predictable and politically correct reaction of 
the mainstream media and authority figures in its Sept. 1 article on 
marijuana use. The article quoted only city and state drug officials.

Why can't we ever have balanced treatment of the marijuana issue? Why can't 
we hear from the millions of adults who enjoy marijuana in moderation with 
no harm to anyone including themselves?

I have occasionally enjoyed marijuana for 30 years. According to the 
so-called experts, I am a social deviant in need of "treatment." At the 
same time, it's socially acceptable for the selfrighteous pillars of 
society to get tipsy on booze at country club bashes.

More of us need to let the drug "experts'', politicians and other 
hypocrites know we are tired of their lies and their wasteful war on 
marijuana. What are they afraid of?

Perhaps it's that marijuana users are more apt to question authority and 
less apt to embrace the materialistic values of our society.

WILLIAM MAHONEY Denver
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MAP posted-by: Thunder