Pubdate: Sat, 15 Mar 2014
Source: Chico Enterprise-Record (CA)
Copyright: 2014 Chico Enterprise-Record
Contact:  http://www.chicoer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/861
Note: Letters from newspaper's circulation area receive publishing priority
Author: Robert Galia
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n231/a05.html

CANNABIS COMMUNITY TIRED OF STEREOTYPES

In response to your March 5 editorial about Gov. Jerry Brown's 
marijuana comments, I would like to say that we, the medical cannabis 
community, are sick and tired of these negative stereotypes. We are 
not lazy potheads who have no attention span, who will weaken our 
state/nation. We are everyday average people, from all walks of life, 
who have found in this plant a way to a much healthier, happy life. 
If ingesting harmful, toxic, addictive pharmaceutical pills works for 
you, then go for it. But please stop this useless, unnecessary "beat 
down" on those of us who have chosen a different path.

Speaking of "beat down," please note that it was Bonnie Masarik 
herself who first coined that phrase as she addressed Andrew Merkel 
at a previous board meeting. Tit for tat. By the way, claiming that 
Merkel doesn't represent this movement well is flat-out wrong. Also, 
he was not "self-appointed" but chosen because of his knowledge, 
passion and hard work ethic.

With all of the present-day knowledge and experience we have with 
cannabis, it is simply ridiculous that we still have people out 
there, some unfortunately in positions of power, who think cannabis 
legalization will be the end of the world. It will be more of a 
beginning. More creativity and compassion, less cancer and disease.

Please get educated and help stop the "cannabis is evil" myth.

- - Robert Galia, Chico
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom