DON'T BE FOOLED BY 'MEDICAL' MARIJUANA

We're coming up on an election season where sound judgment must take
precedence over an emotional or apathetic mind-set. One of the issues
will be the legalization of so-called medical marijuana. The one
thing we don't need is more drugs available to our children under the
guise of medical use. Advocates for the legalization constantly bring
out someone with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, glaucoma or
chemotherapy patients who have found relief by smoking marijuana;
they play upon our feelings of compassion for those who suffer.

We, in law enforcement, are also concerned about the control of pain
and the comfort of the suffering. The truth, however, is that no
medical association has endorsed marijuana for the relief of pain or
discomfort. No nationally recognized medical association approves of
smoking marijuana to reduce suffering; because smoking is the least
efficient delivery method of any medication, and there is no
approved medication that is smoked. The benefits of chemicals in
marijuana can be extracted and have a better effect in pill form
without the "high" or increased risk of lung cancer, bronchitis and
emphysema from the smoking and second-hand risk. Marijuana is a
gateway drug; rarely do we meet heroin or cocaine addicts who didn't
start their drug use with marijuana.

We've been fighting hard in Calhoun County to reduce the flow of
drugs to our citizens and most of all to our children. Law
enforcement agencies all over Michigan, and yes, all over the
country, are opposed to marijuana legalization. So don't be fooled by
the compassionate ploy of legalizing marijuana. We want fewer drugs
available to our children, less damage to our society and an increase
of truth for an informed public.

Chief David Headings

Battle Creek Police Department

Sheriff Al Byam

Calhoun County Sheriff Department