WE MUST SUPPORT POLICE IN MARIJUANA ERADICATION

I am a high school health teacher, and my students are working on anti-drug
magazines in class. Ironically, I teach at Aloha High School in Aloha,
Ore., and am a Hawaiian from Hilo.

Many of my students use the Internet to see articles on marijuana and other
drugs. A group was shocked to read some of the opinions of Hawaii residents
toward marijuana eradication. I am very proud to be from Hawaii, but I have
never read about fellow citizens of the state wanting to legalize marijuana
just because they think it's a waste of time to pull up the crops and
arrest those involved.

Drug officers around the nation are trying to keep us safe from drug use
due to its physical, mental and social side effects. The one officer from
Hawaii who said he had to arrest his own relative just proves that this is
the law and it is serious.

We then wonder why our youth see no problems in smoking pakalolo. Growing
goes hand in hand with using. Has anyone seen a baby born from a
drug-addicted mother? Or, murder associated with drug dealing? Are we our
worst enemies?

Let's get away from the "lazy Hawaiian" stereotype, and take a stand on
something that we know for a fact is harming our fellow Hawaiians. I don't
live in Hawaii, but I am still very protective of my people and our youth
and their future.

Support our officers in enforcing the law. They are just doing their job.
Don't wait until you are directly affected by it to care and support our
youth, the leaders of the future. Let's lead them in the right direction.

Marlene Kanehailua