Pubdate: Fri, 05 Nov 2010 Source: York Dispatch, The (PA) Copyright: 2010 York Newspapers, Inc. Contact: http://www.yorkdispatch.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1940 Author: Larry A. Hicks CANNABIS ANIMUS? NOT NECESSARILY First things first: I don't smoke tobacco. I don't chew it, either. I tried that once when I was a teenager, maybe 13 or so. I filled my cheek with some of my grandfather's chewing tobacco -- it came in a red pouch as I recall -- and I darned near choked to death on the juice. I literally turned green and purple trying to get that nasty stuff out of my mouth. The only stuff I've ever put in my mouth that tasted as bad as chewing tobacco was liquid Geritol, liver and Brussels sprouts. And I once took a single sip of whiskey -- again, I was a stupid teenager -- which was enough to convince me I never wanted to try it again. And I haven't. Lessons learned. The hard way, yes, but learned nevertheless. Since I've never smoked tobacco, by extension I've also never smoked marijuana. It was just not my thing. In the late- '60s, hippies to the left of me, hippies to the right by the thousands, and I still refused to do pot. I tell you that not because it's necessarily any of your business, but only as a way to confirm for you that I have no dog in the fight having to do with legalizing marijuana. You might say I'm worried about nothing since the legalization of marijuana in any of its forms is not a consideration in this state. But that's not true. There are 14 states, plus Washington, D.C., where medical marijuana is legal. They are: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. That was a surprise to me. But it was even more of a shock to learn there are six states -- Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania -- with legislation pending to legalize medical marijuana. So it is a consideration in this state. House Bill 1393 was referred to the Health and Human Services Committee about two years ago. A hearing was held 10 months ago. Senate Bill 1350 was referred to the Public Health and Welfare Committee about six months ago. Hey, it's perfectly OK with me if medical marijuana becomes legal in this state. This much I know -- if I were seriously injured, diseased or otherwise medically incapacitated and in serious pain, I'd want the option of smoking pot for medical reasons. I've never smoked it, but that doesn't mean I'll never smoke it if the right reason comes along. In my mind, pain is a "right" reason. Anyone who's ever been in physical pain knows he or she would do almost anything to be free of it. And I fail to see the difference between taking prescription drugs in dosages high enough to ease the pain or smoking some pot. Legalizing pot for recreational use is a horse of another color, however. I'm not saying I'm against it -- again, no dog in the fight since I don't use it myself -- but I'm not saying I'm for it, either. But as long as the rules of marijuana use mirrored the rules of alcohol use in the workplace and on the highways, I'd be at least inclined to consider it. Either way, though, I'm thinking it's not going to be too long before we'll be asked to vote on the matter in this state. Why? Well, because it came up for a vote in California this week -- they called it Proposition 19. It failed this time, but it's sure to show up on the ballot every year from now until it's passed. And once it's passed in California, can Pennsylvania be far behind? I think not. Social change doesn't happen overnight, but it does happen. Even here in Pennsylvania. Except that the potheads of California are not going to be happy until they spoil it for pot smokers everywhere. Here's what I mean: Right before Game 2 of the World Series, played in San Francisco, there was a TV news report about fans openly smoking pot in the concourse outside the Giants' stadium. Shortly after that, a Ranger player -- center fielder Josh Hamilton -- reported that fans were smoking pot inside the stadium during Game 1 of the World Series. No big deal, right? Wrong. The conduct and the timing couldn't have been worse. This all took place six days before Prop 19 came up for a vote last Tuesday. And it no doubt rubbed some Californians who were undecided on Prop 19 the wrong way because it cast their state in a negative light before the whole country. End result? It failed by 54 percent to 46 percent of the vote. Potheads have got to show more restraint than that, more self-discipline when it counts. You want to smoke pot and act the fool, do it behind closed doors. Otherwise it just fuels the worst fears of non-pot smokers everywhere. Even here in York, Pa. I don't have a dog in this fight, but I do have a vote. Pot smokers need to remember that. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D