HAZY LOGIC ON MARIJUANA

I just read, with interest, the column by James Murr. I agree that
marijuana should probably be decriminalized, that a lot of the
overzealous enforcement is absolutely unnecessary and a waste of time
and resources.

He mentioned that the sheriff should get beyond his law-and-order
mindset. Ridiculous. That is his job. As for no lung problems
associated with smoking marijuana, I don't have any studies, and since
his are all one-sided, I'll just say smoking anything is not good for
your lungs. Common sense should tell you that.

He mentioned that there are no side effects to THC ingestion. What
about being stoned and stupid? What about what it does to a young
person's motivation?

Heightened sensory awareness? Is that when you get so stoned you sit
and play video games for 15 hours straight, instead of going to school
or work, or even outside? What about people driving stoned?

You can call it whatever you want, medicinal, pain reliever,
anti-nausea. It's basically a recreational drug. If you can make rope
out of it, make an ointment for skin problems, a dress, use it as a
tax enhancer, some sort of medicine, that's just a bonus. In reality,
it's just another way to get loaded.

I'm all for legalizing it. It would get it out of the criminals'
hands. Government or private industry studying it, making it bigger,
stronger, more stony -- it can end up just like the liquor and
cigarette industry, so powerful that nobody challenges them in Washington.

Robert Jones

Santa Maria