Editor, Times-Union: As I write this one I know there are people out there that are thinking, “I wonder when that hippie and if that long-haired editor are going to chime in or hold their tongue for fear of reprisal?”
I don’t know if the government should legalize pot, MJ, or not. What I do know is a few facts that people don’t seem to be aware of. Either they have been misinformed or just choose to go with their beliefs based on their gut and that is that.
This is what I know. Marijuana is not and I repeat not a gateway drug. There have been studies all over this world and not one has proved it to lead people to stronger drug usage. The overusage of candy is more dangerous to our health than marijuana. We need to teach our children all about drugs. The Internet is our greatest source for information and most of us have it. You need to sit down with your pre-teen and go down the list of drugs and talk to them like a peer and look up every single drug one at a time. Go over the dangers and learn everything you can about the side effects.
Jesus said the truth will set ya free and I believe him with all my heart.
Here goes. There are two main strains of MJ. Sativa’s and Indica’s. Sativa’s don’t make you want to crawl back into bed. They stimulate the mind and relieve in some people migraines and mental or mind issues. Indica’s treat the body and relax it in people with major chronic muscle pain and other issues of the body.
Our government has spent, as of the time I write this, $2,467,396,750 fighting this problem as they see it. If we taxed it like we do alcohol, as some people have suggested, we would have received just in the last 10 years $7,170,368,103.
Now some will say we would spend that on rehab and it would be a no-win. As I see it, a no-win is the government telling people what they can and can’t do in our homes that is hurting no one but possibly ourselves. We all want freedom as long as it agrees with what we believe. I say If you are an adult and you are not driving a car while under the influence of anything that impairs your judgment or not making the rest of us pay your way, do what you want and don’t ask me to solve you self-inflicted issues. As I said before I don’t know what we should do but what we are doing is not working. We are not slaves to the government. We pay the bills and it is up to us as adults as long as we do not endanger others ever. That’s the line ... when others have to suffer for our dependencies.
I’m no angel but I do not use drugs other than what my MD prescribes. I need to be in control when I am doing my work. The one thing I do know about drugs is that they inhibit your ability to be in the here and now and that’s not my deal.
