LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA: SOME THINGS ARE JUST PLAIN WRONG

Back in 1975 when I lived in California, my Assemblyman John
Vasconcellos and his fellow Democrats wanted to lighten the penalties
for possessing small quantities of marijuana. (The lead author of the
bill was Sen. George Moscone (D- San Francisco). It failed, thank
goodness, thanks to the Republicans in the Assembly. At the time we
were being assured that marijuana was no worse than smoking tobacco.
But do two wrongs make a right? Major drug experts like Dr. Harden B.
Jones, professor of medical physics and psychology at University of
California, Berkeley, ((World Magazine, June 5, 1977) and Dr. D.
Harvey Powelson, chief of the psychiatry department, of Cowell
Memorial Hospital at UC Berkeley, since 1964 questioned its use and
legalizing it. (San Jose Mercury-News (Sept. 9, 1971) Since then many
of us have personally watched what the use of marijuana has done to
our young people. It seems insane to want to support, in any way,
something that is so harmful.

So Appleton wants to legalize it (or talk about it). What's to talk
about? We already have too many problems with drunks on the highway so
we really need pot heads out there too? Get taxes from it? Poor excuse
- - think about our young people, please.

There was a time when sensible people realized that if something can
be harmful they should stay away from it. It may take a long time to
get that message across today, but we shouldn't abandon it. The
Democrats (at all levels of government) seem to be afraid to take a
stand - that there are some things that are just plain wrong.

Norma L. Card