KEEP MARIJUANA ILLEGAL

In the news lately, we have seen a great deal of outrage over the
destruction caused by driving while impaired by alcohol. We have also
seen a billion-dollar judgment against the tobacco industry for the
damage smoking has caused.

Is marijuana more or less harmful than alcohol or tobacco? It is
certainly a fact that alcohol has caused much tragedy due to its
causing mental and physical impairment to the body. Tobacco has
certainly caused a great deal of death due to the carcinogenic effects
caused by smoking it. Marijuana, however, does both. It alters and
impairs the mind and body while, at the same time, it is ingested by
smoking and contains more known carcinogens than tobacco. Not only
that, but unlike cigarettes and alcohol, marijuana is smoked for one
reason only: to intentionally become high from it, not for its taste
as a casual drinker will do.

So should we then legalize marijuana just because these other two
destructive substances are legal? Only if three wrongs make a right.

Chris Anderson

Big Lake