Pubdate: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 Source: Maui News, The (HI) Contact: 2003 The Maui News Website: http://www.mauinews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2259 Author: Michele Bajan Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES ARE AVAILABLE LEGALLY Many people are quick to decide that someone should be punished and what that punishment should be. To judge that anyone should be punished in any way for growing cannabis is an irresponsible decision based on blatantly contrived misinformation. Prisons should be used to take away the freedom of individuals who are a threat to society. Cannabis has never killed one person in world history. In over 30 countries around the world where growing cannabis is legal, there is no increased crime rate, illness rate, or drug use because of it. Ingesting cannabis has no proven long-term side effects. Therefore, all the clerks selling caffeine, cigarettes or alcohol are selling a more dangerous substance than cannabis. Anyone can overdose on aspirin and die. Should we build enough prisons to hold all of the people dealing these dangerous substances to the public? We should all be demanding verifiable proof that there is a danger to the public posed by this plant, not blindly accepting false propaganda. Please, give me a single legitimate reason that this plant should be illegal. Tell me why a person should lose their freedom for possessing a plant that can naturally ease suffering and relieve stress without a single long-term side effect. What is the crime? A crime is something that deprives another person of life, liberty, or pursuit of happiness. Cannabis has never caused any of those things. That cannot be said about this prohibition. Michele Bajan Paia - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk