Pubdate: Thu, 26 Sep 2002
Source: Carlsbad Current-Argus (NM)
Contact: http://www.currentargus.com/Stories/0,1008,161~9306~,00.html
Copyright: 2002 Carlsbad Current-Argus
Website: http://www.currentargus.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2549
Author:  Jason Marrs
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

GOV. JOHNSON RIGHT  ON LEGALIZING MARIJUANA

Editor:

Gov. Gary Johnson is correct marijuana should be relegalized.

That is the obvious first step toward a drug policy that works. Reader 
Charles R. Beeson distorts the facts by insinuating that marijuana leads to 
harder drugs and that marijuana caused two of his grandchildren and "a 
dentist's son to destroy their careers early in life. Marijuana has been 
proved to not be a gateway drug, and by blaming marijuana as opposed to 
addressing the cause of its use, he did a great disservice to his 
grandchildren and the dentist's son.

He then claims the AMA report "again shows the long-term defects in 
performance and decreased cognitive ability in a controlled study, but 
fails to mention that performance returns with abstinence. Considering he 
incorrectly referred to the active ingredient in marijuana, 
"tetrahydrocannabinol as being "tetrahydrocannibis, I am not surprised by 
his misunderstanding of the facts.

Even if marijuana were all of the things that the drug warriors would 
wrongly have you believe that it is, its current legal status would still 
not be justified. In fact, every study that the White House has ordered 
since the Nixon administration has said as much, only to have the White 
House continue to cover up the truth.

Jason Marrs, Former Carlsbad resident via e-mail
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager