Pubdate: Tue, 16 May 2000
Source: Athens Daily News (GA)
Copyright: 2000 Athens Newspapers Inc.
Address: PO Box 912, Athens, GA 30603
Fax: 706-208-2246
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Author: Andy Totten

MARIJUANA USERS MOST LIKELY 'SOCIETAL REJECTS'

In his letter on Wednesday, May 10, Robert Sharpe claimed that
marijuana is increasingly recognized as being safer than alcohol or
tobacco. If that's true, Mr. Sharpe, then I guess you won't mind if
your airplane pilot smokes a joint before flying the plane that you're
on, or perhaps you don't mind your surgeon smoking a joint before he
performs surgery on you!

I am not advocating smoking tobacco in any way, but everyone knows
that lots of people smoke cigarettes while they work and yet they
still perform their job effectively. Could the same be said about
smoking marijuana on the job? What if our policemen, firemen and
emergency medical personnel all smoked a joint while on duty? Since
marijuana is so safe I guess that would be OK!

The pro-marijuana crowd can come up with all of the malarkey they want
to, but the fact is marijuana is a mind-numbing drug. Take a look at
the majority of people who use this drug. Are these people going to be
considered "pillars of the community?" Do you think they would be
viewed as respected community leaders with moral obligations to
society such as teachers, judges, policemen, etc.? I seriously doubt
it. These people are more than likely going to be non-conforming
societal rejects. If no one believes me then just go the Millennium
Marijuana March in Atlanta and see for yourself just how many
clean-cut, decent looking people you see there.

Andy Totten
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