N.H. CITIZENS: LIVE HIGH OR DIE

What do Tom Cruise, the Fox News Channel, Rush Limbaugh and Keene
State College's own Chuck Weed have in common?

Not much, unless you ask Keith Olbermann, political pundit for
MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann, who, on every show, counts
down the top three worst people in the world.

Weed, who is also a New Hampshire state representative, recently had
the distinct honor of holding the nightly title of "one of the worst
persons in the world" for his proposed House Bill 92, legislation for
the decriminalization of marijuana in the Granite State.

Predictably, Weed's support of marijuana has been an easy headline
target. But despite the blatantly ironic connotation with Weed's
name, many are missing the big picture.

Marijuana reform is a serious matter, as Weed told the Equinox.
Although he does not expect the bill to pass, legislation for the
decriminalization of marijuana on the state level is the way to
change federal drug policy.

While many are skeptical that the bill has any reasonable chance of
passing, The New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana
Policy (NHCCSMP) supports HB 92 and has started an online petition
(http://www.nhcommonsense.org/) to send to the NH state government.

The NHCCSMP contests that New Hampshire's prisons are overcrowded as
is, and with mandatory minimum sentences for marijuana possession,
the problem continues to grow. It costs roughly $20,000 annually to
keep a prisoner detained. According to a 2004 Bureau of Justice
Statistics survey of state and Federal prisoners, approximately 12.7
percent of state prisoners and 12.4 percent of Federal prisoners were
serving time for a marijuana-related offense.

Until then, people should keep themselves informed on issues
surrounding marijuana reform and policy. The individuals of New
Hampshire should have right to choose to Live High or Die.