Fourth Amendment to the Constitution: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

People are in a constant stir about the Second Amendment for fear that the government will come for their guns. This is a hot-button issue used by politicians to inflame certain segments of the population.

[continues 134 words]

I'm a 38-year-old Christian woman, published author, freelance journalist for biker magazines, and a fashion editor. I am dying of autoimmune diseases. This month marks nine years of the 10-year expiration date I was given. I cannot eat or keep down pills without marijuana. My liver has quit once due to a chemotherapy cyotoxin.

Fifteen months ago, I was unable to obtain marijuana. After a week, I developed a brain infection I couldn't fight off. I was lying in the floor of the hospital, throwing up blood and antibiotics. Doctors were talking about calling in my pastor at 3 a.m. because I wasn't going to live until morning. They had given up, had tried everything they knew to do. My baby sister finally persuaded them to let her take me to go smoke one last cigarette before I died, a joint a friend had provided. A couple of hours later, I was sitting up in bed eating a huge breakfast, braiding flowers in my hair. A few hours later, I was well enough to leave.

[continues 127 words]

In a recent editorial, the author refers to a medical marijuana study that is riddled with flaws and contradictions. The writer points out that the study said 74 percent of teens treated in centers for substance abuse had used someone else's medical marijuana. What wasn't said was that some were in the centers in lieu of other punishment, were paid to participate in the study, and that the researchers had no way of knowing if the marijuana actually came from a legal prescription.

[continues 172 words]

Your editorial "More Dope from Denver" should have been titled "More dopey opinions from Arkansas." To conclude that medical marijuana is bad, you cite a study that showed teens under treatment for drug abuse smoked medical marijuana they got from someone else.

Authorities claim we are suffering a dangerous trend of young people here in Arkansas abusing prescription medication they steal from their parents. And yet I've seen nothing from your editorials suggesting that the solution is to ban any prescribed medication that is being abused, to rip it out of the hands of those who need it because some kids wanted to get high.

[continues 86 words]

Looks Like Arkansas Made the Right Choice

YOU MIGHT remember there was an election a couple of months ago. That's a long time in politics, but it's still worth remembering. Because there were some important matters on the ballot here and there. Memory grows furtive, but as we recall, this state's voters turned down a proposal to allow "medical" marijuana to be sold in Arkansas. Just barely. The measure got 49 percent of the vote.

The state might have dodged a bullet this year, but there's no telling when the next time "medical" marijuana will make it to the ballot here in Arkansas. And pass. And once the weed is okayed for medical purposes, it can be, and will be, used for others.

[continues 395 words]