Pubdate: Wed, 29 Oct 2014
Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL)
Copyright: 2014 News-Journal Corporation
Contact:  http://www.news-journalonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/700
Note: gives priority to local writers
Author: Steve Boone

CHOOSE SENSIBLE POT POLICY

In the Oct. 20 A section of The News-Journal, there are at least four 
instances of violence and antisocial behavior attributed to the 
recreational use of alcohol. Two of these instances are connected 
with local elected officials, one was group behavior at a Pumpkin 
Fest in New Hampshire and the fourth was a sad case of mistaken 
identity where the bars of the local jail in Paw Paw, Michigan, were 
mistaken for the bar at a woman's favorite pub, when she went there 
to pick up her boyfriend - at least making her arrest for DUI one 
step less for the local police officer.

My point: With all of the brouhaha over the possibility of marijuana 
being made available for use in medical treatments, and the dark 
cloud of it will lead us to legalization for all, I can reliably say 
that in more than 50 years of seeing the behavior of folks under the 
influence of pot, I have never once witnessed this kind of 
misbehavior in the newspaper on that one day.

Perhaps the world would be a better place if there were no substances 
used for recreational purposes, but since I doubt that notion would 
be approved by the majority, can't we use a little common sense in 
what we do and do not allow? Alcohol is portrayed as being so much 
fun when used responsibly, and indeed it is. Pot's image over the 
years has mostly been personified by Cheech and Chong movies and 
family stories about the kid whose life went all downhill after 
smoking one joint. Worse than that is the oft-told story of the 
promising young person who acquires a criminal record and possibly 
prison time because of one foolish decision having to do with 
marijuana. We can do better than that!

Steve Boone

Flagler Beach
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