The letter "Difficult seeing Mayfair decline" (Dec. 10) mentioned what a nice development the Mayfair subdivision was when the writer came here more than 40 years ago. Ditto. Mayfair was a home for many retired Navy officers and working people. You could ride a bike without being mugged. You did not need a Doberman for protection, or to lock your doors the minute it turned dark. We were proud of our homes with manicured yards and flowers. It was an enjoyable place to live. [continues 123 words]
Two recent reports on smoking describe two very different trends. One report is national, the other from California. When it comes to tobacco, a California Health and Human Services Agency survey released Dec. 20 found that more and more California residents are kicking the habit. The rate of decline is more than double the national average, and California's incidence of lung cancer has fallen three times as fast as the national average. Let us hope that California's reputation as a harbinger holds true in this case. [continues 314 words]
Substance-abuse experts, alarmed by the rapid growth of Colorado's medical-marijuana industry, are intensifying their efforts to study the industry's impact on drug use. The experts say they especially worry that increasingly permissive attitudes surrounding marijuana use might be leading to higher teenage drug use and addiction rates. That has been an often-voiced concern during debates over medical marijuana in Colorado. But substance-abuse-prevention workers say evidence from their clinics seems to bear it out. And they point to a recent study showing an increase in teenage marijuana use nationwide and a decrease in perceptions of its risk as further evidence of a need to examine the issue. [continues 527 words]
Stockton, Ill. -- This letter is directed to Rep. Jim Sacia and the other three local House members who voted no on the recent Medical Marijuana bill, SB 1381. What we have here is a mindset called "Reefer Madness Mentality," which is caused by years of government lies, distortions and propaganda. To deny relief to sick and suffering people is inhumane. We now have 15 states and Washington D.C. that allow the compassionate use of medical marijuana. Let's hope that Illinois will be next. Steve Larson Stockton [end]
Methamphetamine is a very addictive drug and very destructive to both the mind and the body. The drug is legally prescribed for ADHD, obesity and depression. However, it's easily made illegally in clandestine laboratories with relatively inexpensive and easily available over-the-counter ingredients. This is why the drug has high potential for widespread abuse. The illegal drug is also known as meth, crank, ice, chalk, and speed. Adverse effects of methamphetamine abuse include serious lung disorders, severe weight loss, and aggressive behavior. Complications of long-term use include bad teeth, skin ulcers, itching, depression, high blood pressure, hyperthermia, increased wakefulness, stroke, and even death. Psychological effects include euphoria, anxiety, paranoia, and hallucinations. Other problems include domestic violence, increased crime, and increased traffic violations and accidents. [continues 140 words]
Robert Sharpe's letter about the incarceration of nonviolent drug offenders made me think about Yogi Berra's statement: "It's deja vu all over again." ("Declare peace in drug war to save money," Opinion, Dec. 26). From 1974 until 1983, I taught GED classes at a local drug rehab facility for young men who had been convicted of nonviolent drug-related crimes. These "residents" received very intense drug therapy from educated and trained professionals. A large number of these men passed the GED exam and a few graduated from college. I've kept in touch with several of them and many lead productive lives. The numbers that Mr. Sharpe quoted regarding the reduced costs to society correspond very closely with numbers that we were hearing at that time. The facility closed in 1983. The general feeling was that the facility was shut down because the Department of Offender Rehabilitation doesn't understand anything that works in terms of reducing recidivism. BOB LEWIS, DECATUR [end]
Medical Marijuana Raids Oakland County Sheriff's narcotics agents raided a medical marijuana dispensary in Ferndale and another in Waterford Township Aug. 25 and owners and employees were charged with violating the state's medical marijuana act. About 16 people were arrested who were connected with the Clinical Relief dispensary in Ferndale and Everybody's Cafe in Waterford. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the defendants sold pot to people without proper ID. County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper joined Bouchard for a news conference after the raids. [continues 179 words]
Teen use of tobacco and alcohol, which are both entirely legal, is down (Missoulian, Dec. 26). Teen use of marijuana, which is still illegal, is up. This is hardly surprising. Alcohol and tobacco are sold by licensed dealers who require their customers to show proof of legal age, while marijuana is sold by black-market dealers who are subject to no regulations whatsoever. Clearly, marijuana prohibition is not effective at reducing use by teens. It's time to control marijuana the same way as alcohol and tobacco, by creating a legal, regulated market with age restrictions. Anders Froehlich, San Rafael, California [end]
I'm writing about Robert Sharpe's thoughtful letter ("Decriminalizing marijuana would save public resources" AC-T, Dec. 26). The war on drugs is just a metaphor. A metaphor that has transformed the United States into the most incarcerated nation in the history of human civilization. The war on drugs metaphor was created by the Nixon Administration to go after African Americans without appearing to do so, according to the diary of H. R. Haldeman, Nixon's Chief of Staff. Based upon its original goals, the war on drugs has been a tremendous success. Real wars are fought against other nations with armies, navies and air forces. Metaphorical wars cannot be won. Who is going to surrender and sign the peace treaty? Kirk Muse Mesa, Ariz. [end]
Regarding Wednesday's article "Heroin abuse, deaths on the rise," as a retired police officer, I am familiar with drug overdose and death. As a traveler, I have met with doctors and officials in Switzerland to see first-hand the success of their method of handling heroin. Since 1994 they have treated heroin use as a medical issue and have been rewarded with dramatic decreases in crime, and no one in the program has died of an overdose in 16 years. This model has been adopted by Germany, Denmark and Holland because it works. [continues 69 words]
