MARIJUANA FOR PROFIT, NOT PAIN

I recently read about the local resident who was arrested for attempting to
smuggle 72 pounds of marijuana into the United States from Mexico. The
gentleman's excuse was that he needed the marijuana for back pain. He also
stated that he smokes one or two joints a day to ease his pain.

Now I find myself being somewhat suspect of the statement that this
individual needs 72 pounds of marijuana for personal medical use of one or
two joints a day. One ounce of marijuana yields between 40-60 joints. That
works out to between 640-960 joints per pound or 46,080 and 69,120 joints
total. Now if we use simple math, this number should last 63 and 94 years
based on the use of two joints per day.

Who's kidding who here? This amount of marijuana is no more medicinal as a
pound of cocaine or an ounce of heroin. This is sales quantity, plain and
simple.

Just in case anyone thinks that I'm against medicinal marijuana, let me
assure you that I'm not. I have a 53-year-old brother diagnosed with
terminal stomach cancer. If it were not for the medicinal use of marijuana
he would have died two years ago. As it stands, smoking three to five
joints per day allows him to eat and maintain some level of life. But even
at this level, 72 pounds would cover his as well as many others' needs.

Rest assured that 72 pounds of an illegal substance is not intended for
medicinal purposes, it's for profit.

Larry Holt, San Luis Obispo