TOO MANY EXCUSES FOR MARIJUANA

To the Editor:

I would like to reply to the many letters that I have read in your
newspaper on marijuana.

Many people have the attitude that, this said plant does no harm. We can
put the substance in our body and expect no harm to come to our bodies
later in life. I feel that too many reasons and excuses are made to
justify the taking of marijuana. Yet no one has stood up and plainly
stated that it can harm the cells of the mind and body.

No one thought smoking could do harm, it was legalized. It kills, maims
and costs. No one thought alcohol would create havoc yet it kills,
destroys and demolishes families. A lot of chemicals are legalized and
people abuse them. They kill and destroy the mind and body.

Yes alcohol, smoking, chemicals and many foods kill but only because these
things are used to cover up the real issues in life. You want marijuana
legal, why? It is because you need a chemical to release your tension, to
mellow your moods, to stimulate your cells or possibly to get rich on other
people's lives?

You may want marijuana legalized. I don't want it leagalized. I want my
children and grandchildren safe from any kind of this stuff until they take
their own responsibilities. You talk about rights of every individual yet
bash Brian Zacharias for stating his feelings and beliefs. It seems to me
that the stipulation is don't relate or speak from our Christian views
because you don't want to tolerate them. Yet we as Christians are to abide
or tolerate your beliefs and your style of living.

Want to make marijuana legal then make self abusing legal, because that's
what marijuana or any other drug comes under. I also know what people
would say "what I do to my body is my busines and my right." Perhaps, only
thing is, there are other people involved. What you represent to small
children, especially my children and grandkids, is my business.

I hope to never see marijuana or any other street drug legalized. Being
realistic I know that because I am among the minority it probably will be.
Then a few years down the road we will be belly aching at government about
the damage it's done. Isn't it about time we stop asking the government
for paying for our mistakes and take on our responsibility.

Shirley Peters
Nelson