Pubdate: Mon, 08 Dec 2008
Source: Maui News, The (HI)
Copyright: 2008 The Maui News
Contact:  http://www.mauinews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2259
Author: Ahiena Yamakawa
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08.n1100.a10.html

TARGET DRUGS LINKED TO VIOLENCE, RUINING HOMES

I am deeply concerned with the targeting and arresting of cannabis
users. This is a economic as well as social issue. We have a very
limited amount of resources, even less now that we are in an official
"recession."

Do we really think it is a wise priority to be spending so much of our
time and resources going after sick people growing their medication? I
know some people think these people are just "potheads" taking
advantage of the system or that cannabis is a gateway drug, but it
does not evoke violence or break up families on anywhere near the
scale as batu, alcohol, meth or crack.

We need to use our resources more efficiently. If we have two years of
resources to put into an operation to break up a "medical marijuana
drug ring," can we put triple that effort into ridding our island of
ice and meth labs? What is really more dangerous, the gateway drug or
the drugs you find on the other side of the gate?

The realistic, cost-effective solution to dealing with drugs is to use
all government money to go after the worst drugs in our society -
heroin, ice, etc. If we want to eradicate marijuana, don't waste
government money on green harvest, just allow people to grow
industrial hemp for a myriad of organic uses and it will seed out the
drug crops without the government expending money.

Annually, our country imprisons 800,000 people for marijuana crimes.
Imagine if those 800,000 spaces in jail were used for serious drug
offenders instead.

Ahiena Yamakawa

Makawao
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin