Pubdate: Fri, 08 Feb 2013
Source: Great Falls Tribune (MT)
Copyright: 2013 Great Falls Tribune
Contact: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2502
Author: Lon J. LaBelle

POT PREJUDICE

The U.S. Constitution helped establish our democratic republic. 
Working well, it treats residents with fairness, respect and "justice for all."

Marijuana has been trying hard to ruin the way we promised to be. For 
80 years, our government has punished adults for possession or use of 
marijuana with jail time and fines to pay. This encourages loss of 
family and jobs and results in a criminal record, all for doing 
nothing against anyone.

Marijuana has been used for 6,000 years to relieve muscle aches and 
pain. Is that bad? Adult use does not mean abuse. An adult's desire 
to use marijuana should not require anyone's permission. It does not 
cause the trouble alarmists claim it does. An adult can buy alcohol, 
our worst trouble-maker and killer, at the grocery store. They can 
buy junk food and tobacco at the grocery, as well, and these are 
known to cause considerable health problems, even early death.

Alcohol abuse kills thousands of American residents per year. It's 
known to be relevant in rapes, beatings, family abuse, divorce, loss 
of jobs and crime of all kinds, even murder. Any comparison of 
trouble caused by marijuana and booze does not exist.

Punishing adults for use of marijuana is what bullies do. Drunks in 
Montana kill hundreds of innocent people per year. Our society 
teaches being drunk is funny, solves problems and is the key to 
social success. My 64 years around alcohol abuse has shown that our 
government attacks the trouble and ignores the problem.

- - Lon J. LaBelle,

Thompson Falls
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom