Pubdate: Sun, 17 Oct 2010 Source: Jackson Citizen Patriot (MI) Copyright: 2010 David Light Contact: http://www.mlive.com/mailforms/jacitpat/letters/index.ssf Website: http://www.mlive.com/jackson/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1190 Author: David Light Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n826/a04.html FOES HAVE PERSONAL INTEREST IN FIGHTING POT Thank you for the most welcomed, level-headed Oct. 10 editorial concerning the medical use of marijuana in Michigan. It's vitally important to note that since passage of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, it isn't the residents crying out for change. Rather, it is law enforcement leaders, taking their well-publicized cue from the Drug Enforcement Agency, Michigan Municipal League insiders and others within in the bureaucracy with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo concerning any drug prohibition. Even Bill Schuette, Republican candidate for attorney general, has made it the platform for his candidacy, when so many other truly important issues should take precedence. As the editorial indicated, an overwhelming majority of voters made their wishes abundantly clear. Yet what has transpired since this law took effect has been mostly about a disconnect with the will of the people, and a fear for the impending loss of revenue related to the war on marijuana that so many in the political/governmental hierarchy have come to rely on. A vast empire has been built upon marijuana prohibition, and there are those who will fight to the bitter end to maintain access to this most lucrative windfall that no one seems to be accountable for. Each year in this state alone, millions of dollars are handed out to the drug prohibitionists under a cloak of darkness. Transparency is non-existent. While every other public service suffers from a severe lack of funding, the drug war crowd has taken comfort in knowing that their bread is well-buttered. That's the crux of this supposed controversy. David Light Saginaw - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake