USE, CULTIVATION OF MARIJUANA SHOULD BE LEGAL

To the Editor:

I am still waiting for somebody to please give me one good, justified,
substantiated, non-hypocritical reason why smoking, cultivating,
eating or possessing marijuana is illegal. Whether the discussion
involves medical or recreational use, I have not yet heard a reason for
marijuana illegalization that fits this criteria.

Let us begin with the basic fact that marijuana is a plant. Whatever
one believes to be the source of life, that very same source put the
marijuana on this earth. Who or what gives any human the right to
determine what plants should and should not exist on this earth?

Some people will declare that marijuana is a "drug" and all drugs
should be illegal. I wonder how many of those people consume caffeine,
nicotine, or alcohol. Those substances are drugs in every sense of the
word, with publicly known harmful effects, yet they remain legal.

There are no documented negative effects of marijuana on the human
body, other than the obvious negative impact on the lungs from
inhaling any substance other than pure, clean air. Marijuana is not
physically addictive, while nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol are all
known to be highly addictive.

Some claim that marijuana is a "gateway drug" that will lead people to
try harder drugs. What evidence is there that marijuana encourages
drug experimentation any more than alcohol, cigarettes, or over-the-
counter medications do?

If you do believe that marijuana encourages further drug experimentation,
stop to ask yourself why. Why do people like to smoke marijuana in the
first place? Don't just take the government's word for it that all illegal
"drugs" are bad.

Ask somebody why they smoke marijuana. They may tell you that it has
helped open their mind to new perspectives. They may tell you that it
feels good. They may tell you that marijuana has inspired them to
question what they perceive as normal. Does that scare you? Does that
scare our government?

Denial of personal freedom should always be questioned. Denial of
personal freedom should always be clearly justified. Don't let moral
brainwashing be your guide. Always ask why.

Lisa Snickars
Nipomo