Pubdate: Wed, 23 May 2001
Source: Tampa Tribune (FL)
Section: Nation / World, page 16
Copyright: 2001, The Tribune Co
Contact:  http://www.tampatrib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/446
Author:  Tom Keyer, Cooper City

HOPING FOR A BETTER MIND-SET

Regarding Philip Terzian's article "Waiting to inhale" (Commentary, May 21):

Thank you for a courageous article. While I object to labeling all 
marijuana users as potheads, I also object to calling alcohol drinkers 
drunks and overeaters pigs.

Just as gays once hid in the closet and blacks and other minorities did not 
interact with whites for reasons relating to survival, marijuana smokers do 
not wave the green flag.

The threat of prison, confiscation' of assets and children and loss of jobs 
tend to keep people's heads down. But as we found out with the 
aforementioned, they are just people - not stereotypes.

Considering the number of politicians, athletes and business people who 
have been "outed" as having used cannabis, we should already know.

Many Americans support medical marijuana, and the wall of lies is teetering 
toward collapse.

Tom Keyer
Cooper City
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MAP posted-by: Beth