BE HONEST WITH OUR YOUTH ABOUT MARIJUANA

I am so tired of hearing that we are sending "the wrong message"
about marijuana to our youth. In my 68 years of living I have learned
that often the "experts" are in error and also that the public is
often way ahead of its legislators. I think that is the case with
marijuana.

Case in point: Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie says "the bill proposes to solve
a nonexistent problem" ("Marijuana bill headed in wrong direction,"
Feb. 17). If it's not a problem, then why are we discussing it? In
the Free Press editorial on Feb. 17, the question was asked about
why supporters don't "have the guts" to say they want marijuana to
become a legal, recreational drug. At the hearing in the Senate
Judiciary Committee on Jan. 30, State's Attorney Bobby Sand stated
that that decriminalization is his goal. He does have the courage to
say what he wants, but he is also smart enough to know that movements
like this are done in small incremental steps.

If you want to talk about honesty, please be honest with our youth.
We tell them that marijuana is bad for them, then they see their
friends using it or they try it themselves, and they think what's
wrong with this -- my brain didn't get fried? So, then they think
heroin and cocaine probably aren't as bad as they are said to be and
they try them, and then they are in real trouble because in those
cases we are telling them the truth.

Most people I know have tried marijuana and have either outgrown
their use of it or use it on occasion in moderation. Several years
ago I worked to help pass medical marijuana amongst dire predictions
of how we would be sending "the wrong message" to our youth. That
effort passed in the Senate and House and was expanded upon last year
by the Senate Judiciary Committee. It passed into law without the
governor's signature. In that case, what would have been "the wrong
message?" That we don't allow people who are suffering and/or dying
the comfort of a drug that would make the process easier and less
painful for them?

Education is the key in teaching our youth how to respect and
understand marijuana, and education will give them the tools to make
a wise decision about whether to try it, use it, or not. If the
subject is not out on the table, there can be no discussion and no
education.

Debbie Ramsdell lives in Charlotte.