Pubdate: Sun, 27 Apr 2003 Source: Clarion-Ledger, The (MS) Copyright: 2003 The Clarion-Ledger Contact: http://www.clarionledger.com/about/letters.html Website: http://www.clarionledger.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/805 Author: Anita T. Mayfield, President, Mississippi Marijuana Party 'WAR ON DRUGS' A COMPLETE FAILURE Down With Absurd Laws The War On Drugs is a complete failure. Our prisons are overflowing with hundreds of thousands of victims from this War On Drugs. Families are ripped apart with people's homes, life savings, and their children stolen from them and disbursed to state agencies. Non-violent citizens are being locked up with murderers, rapists, child molesters and very often receive more prison time than these true criminals. Why are we letting our elected officials get by with this? Current laws lock up otherwise law-abiding citizens for relaxing, after a hard day's work, with a marijuana cigarette instead of a martini. This is completely illogical and absurd. I beg the newspaper to investigate the results of alcohol versus marijuana use. And please, also investigate the very close connections of our biggest elected politicians and the pharmaceutical companies constantly shoving unsafe drugs down our throats. TV is saturated with the lies that marijuana smokers are responsible for terrorist attacks. This is incredibly insane. We know they use big advertising firms to brainwash us. Well, drug czars, we're not falling for your last-ditch, desperate attempts for your claims to fame. They say, "I'm just doing my job." And I say, "Find another job and let people live their own lives." Some say, "He was breaking the law." Know this: No law is permanent. We have the right and the power to change laws. If not, women still could not vote or a person of color could not take his or her family out for a meal. Nine states have legalized medical marijuana. When will it be our turn? We Mississippians are tired of being last. Anita T. Mayfield Nettleton - --- MAP posted-by: Beth