Pubdate: Sun, 22 May 2011
Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT)
Copyright: 2011 Robert G. Orlando
Contact: http://billingsgazette.com/app/contact/?contact=letter
Website: http://www.billingsgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/515
Author: Robert G. Orlando

MARIJUANA INITIATIVE HOODWINKED VOTERS

I have often wondered why 62 percent of Montana voters voted for 
legalizing marijuana rather than against. Therefore, I stopped at the 
courthouse (Room 101) and asked for a sample of the Nov. 2, 2004, 
official ballot, which contains Initiative 148 about legalizing marijuana.

Whoever wrote the definition of 148, explaining the need for 
legalizing marijuana carte blanche, must have unknowingly financially 
helped the growers of the hemp plant and opened up a Pandora's box, 
especially for the youth of Montana.

The voters of Montana are always ready to be of assistance to the 
sick senior people, and 62 percent voted for legalizing marijuana and 
failed to read between the lines of 148. Thirty-eight percent voted 
against and refused to be hoodwinked by the wording of the initiative.

Marijuana is a habit-forming drug. For our young people to try it and 
be overwhelmed by it will lead them to becoming hopheads (a slang 
word for drug addict). Putting the word "medical" in front of the 
word "marijuana" is misleading and, in my opinion, a misnomer.

Robert G. Orlando

Billings
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom