To the editor: Apparently law enforcement officials are still campaigning against marijuana decriminalization, four months after the historic passage of Question 2. Pending legislation at the Statehouse could undermine the new law. What happened to the old law enforcement adage, "We don't make the laws, we just enforce them"? When Massachusetts voters approved Question 2 by an overwhelming margin - 65 percent to 35 percent, nearly 2 to 1 - we rejected 80 years of failed, overly punitive policy that resulted in some of the highest rates of marijuana usage in the world, particularly among minors. [continues 463 words]
To the editor: The proposal to increase marijuana fines in Newburyport goes against the basic principles of representative government. Newburyport voters just approved Question 2 in November by 7,261 to 3,483, a margin of 68 percent to 32 percent. That is over 2 to 1 in favor of reducing the penalty for marijuana possession - in public or private - to a $100 civil fine. Under Question 2, any person using marijuana in public can be punished with a $100 fine that goes to the town, plus community service and classes for minors. Under current town ordinances, the penalty for drinking alcohol in public is a $50 fine. The penalty for public use of marijuana as set by Newburyport voters is already double the fine for alcohol consumption. There is no need for further meddling with the will of the voters. Scott Mortimer Newburyport [end]
Re: Big Moment for Marijuana (SDN, Nov. 3) After reading about the family experience of Beverly Kinard, president of the Christian Drug Education Center, I am puzzled. One one hand, she is working hard to advocate for punitive criminal laws again cannabis use. However, according to the article, her own son started using cannabis from age 12 to age 17. If Kinard feels that criminal prohibition laws are the best solution for cannabis use, why didn't she immediately take her son down to the police station to be handcuffed, arrested and jailed? Or is jail just something for other families who use cannabis? Or maybe just non-Christian cannabis users? I'm still trying to figure it out. Scott Mortimer Newburyport, Mass. [end]
