Pubdate: Thu, 08 Nov 2012
Source: Westword (Denver, CO)
Copyright: 2012 Village Voice Media
Website: http://www.westword.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1616
Author: Janis Houston

GOING TO POT

Re: "Garden of Weedin'," William Breathes, November 1

I am a retired teacher who remembers subbing back in the late '70s in
Lakewood. There were a lot of stoned students then, there are lots of
stoned students now, and when [marijuana is] legalized, there will be
a lot of stoned students in the future of Colorado.

About six years ago I flew to Amsterdam, and I sat next to a young
lady in her twenties who was in high school when pot became legal in
the Netherlands. She said the first year or two, everyone was doing
it, but by the time they got to be seniors, it had become a snore.
It's human nature that what we consider exciting is what our parents
don't want us to do.

However, I've seen another European country have a much saner
approach. In Spain it is legal for adults to grow up to five plants a
year for their personal use; what is sold is soil and seeds. I find
this involves less money that goes to the middlemen and allows you to
do your own quality control. The United States would never allow such
an intelligent rule, as there is money to be made for the government
and private individuals.

That said, in both Spain and the Netherlands, public transportation
rules. Driving stoned is not a good idea in the U.S., and DUI rules
would have to be enforced. But incarcerating young people for just
smoking pot, and ruining their financial future, is odious also. I
would also like to see our neighbor, Mexico, not have to pay for our
drug habits.

Incidentally, my husband has had scoliosis since a child, and his
resulting spinal stenosis causes him to use marijuana for pain
management. I am grateful that the people of Colorado had the vision
to allow medical marijuana.

Janis Houston

Thornton
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt