Pubdate: Fri, 23 Jan 2009 Source: Erie Times-News (PA) Copyright: 2009 Erie Times-News Contact: http://www.goerie.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1347 Author: Dave Lewis BIBLE ENDORSES MARIJUANA? I was appalled seeing the death and misery being caused on both sides of the Mexican border by drug lords. In 2008 alone, there were 4,000 murders and many kidnappings. Local merchants are starving for business, and the cost to the U.S. in security is staggering. All of this is caused by the greed and cruelty of drug lords fighting to control the sale of marijuana, crystal meth and cocaine. From the spoils of their drugs, they buy guns from dishonest gun dealers on our side of the border. The sale of drugs has caused the growth of two very lucrative, violent and ugly businesses -- guns and drugs. I lived in Southern California and Phoenix for a time during the early '70s. People thought nothing of a trip to Nogales for a day of shopping and tequila. The only drugs were grown by local farmers and sold by street merchants to people enjoying the Mexican way of life. It seems our all wise and powerful government hasn't learned from history. During the early '30s, alcohol was prohibited and the same thing happened. Taxed, the profits from the sale of marijuana could pay for Medicare for all Americans. Legalized, it could make room in the prisons for real criminals, not just someone smoking a bowl on his front porch. Ethically it is far healthier to smoke pot than cigarettes. And just to keep you moralists happy, read your Bible. The book of Genesis says to partake in the herbs of the Earth. Dave Lewis Erie - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom