Pubdate: Sun, 02 Oct 2005 Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT) Copyright: 2005 The Billings Gazette Contact: http://www.billingsgazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/515 Author: Adam Jones MANY VIEWS ON MARIJUANA UNREALISTIC The views expressed in the article "Marijuana Design Attracts Sales, Flak" truly revealed the phobic beliefs many people have with concern to marijuana use today. Two issues of concern were the fears expressed regarding both the message of a marijuana leaf and the patrons who choose to purchase such a product. First, I fail to see either how viewing a marijuana leaf can cause otherwise sober individuals to become drug users. The choice to use marijuana is and always has been one for the individual to decide and is by no means influenced by a simple leaf. Furthermore, the association between marijuana and the growing methamphetamine use/production problem in Montana is preposterous. The only reason that marijuana users sometimes decide to move on to harder drugs is because of the exposure that accompanies the black market, exposure to harder drugs that are also illegal. Remove the black market from the marijuana and we have a safe environment to purchase marijuana. Let's be realistic, we cannot remove the marijuana (even with billions of taxpayer dollars and countless ruined lives), so let's make it safer. Secondly, the concern over the safety of children and tanners around marijuana smokers is not in the least questionable. The biggest threat to those tanners is skin cancer. These fears represent a saddening acceptance of the "Reefer Madness" mentality we have been fed since day one. Open your eyes, the drug war is lost. Let's search for alternative solutions to our nation's drug problems. Adam Jones, Montana NORML Billings - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin