MARIJUANA SHOULD NOT BE STRICTLY ENFORCED

I am writing in regard to the editorial "Keep Bayanet." This piece was
sorely lacking in many areas, in regard to the "War on Drugs."

First, the fact that state and local governments are spending millions
of dollars to eradicate a plant that has hundreds of different
functions to society is the real crime. Marijuana has proven itself to
be effective in treating a wide variety of medical disorders without
the toxic side-effects that come with legal prescription drugs. Yet it
remains illegal because pharmaceutical companies are not able to
patent it (and thereby, profit from it). Additionally, marijuana
prohibition was propped up by the oil industry, as hemp oil could
feasibly eliminate the need for all fossil fuel usage.

Combine that with the fact that prisons are now a private industry,
and need the healthy stream of inmates provided by marijuana
prohibition in order to keep profits high, and one can see that
fighting to keep "weed" illegal is clearly not about curbing drug abuse.

People need to wake up to the fact that the entire reasoning behind
marijuana/hemp prohibition is a total fraud, and one that does a
disservice to everyone, regardless of whether they get high from the
plant or not.

I wonder why the government and big industries don't want individuals
to be able to grow their own medicine, oil, food, shelter, etc.

Once you wake up to the fact that you are being lied to, the truth
becomes clear: The War on Pot is a war on us all. I would hope that
the next time you write about drug-related issues, you go beyond
reprinting government propaganda. You owe it the public.

Colin Howard

Grand Rapids senior