Pubdate: Thu, 10 Feb 2011
Source: Dispatch, The (NC)
Copyright: 2011, The Lexington Dispatch
Contact:  http://www.the-dispatch.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1583
Author: Jackie Heninger
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n067/a10.html

DON'T LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

Editor: I had to reply to Marvin Callahan's letter on legalizing 
marijuana. I will admit I am a straight-laced prude. I don't drink, 
smoke or do drugs nor have I ever understood some people's need for 
such things.

North Carolina is not California nor should we strive to be. 
California is morally corrupt and financially bankrupt. It is on the 
edge of a cliff and doesn't have the moral backbone to back away. 
Mexico is a prime example of the true nature of the drug culture and 
the criminals behind it. Don't you read about the murders and how 
horrible it is on our border because of these drug lords? Do you 
really want the state to be a drug pusher?

People push for medical marijuana only as a ruse to decriminalize it. 
The truth is there is far more harm than good. There are ways to 
provide the medical benefits without the high, but that is not what 
people really want. They want their feel-good drugs, their escapism. 
They don't talk about how marijuana destroys brain cells, how it 
damages the lungs even more than cigarettes (I think cigarettes 
should be as illegal as marijuana. It may not provide the high, but 
it causes so much damage it should be listed as a dangerous 
substance. My daddy died from lung cancer, and other family members 
have had serious health problems caused by that nasty weed).

Nor do they want to recognize how it is often an entry level drug 
that leads to far more deadlier drugs. Yes way back when it wasn't 
illegal; neither was heroin, cocaine, lots of pesticides, lead in 
paint and any number of bad substances. We didn't know then what we know now.

As for those sitting in the courthouse or jail because of drug 
charges, I will quote an old TV show, "Don't do the crime if you 
can't do the time." These people knew they were doing wrong but did 
it anyway because they want their high. That is part of the problem 
with modern society. It has become so morally decayed there is no 
longer right and wrong.

I heard it said that the problem with the younger generation is that 
they are not doing a very good job raising themselves. Our generation 
is failing on teaching the younger generation. Most have no idea of 
the basic morals we were taught. Oh we might offend someone if we say 
something is wrong.

If we are to survive this chaotic time we are in, we as a society 
have to have moral standards, to say "no that is not acceptable," and 
we need to teach youngsters not to take the easy way, that 
recreational drugs are wrong, that just because everyone else is 
going to hell doesn't mean they have to join them. Life is so much 
better and rewarding without the evil side effects of the drug 
culture. How much further can our society sink? Will this country 
survive? I hope so.

Jackie Heninger

Lexington
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