FREEDOM TO GET STONED

All of the recent fuss over marijuana makes me wonder - why the charade?

Why do some charlatans argue that toasting up a bowl of Grape Skunk
heals everything from hangnails to anxiety attacks?

Why has the glossary been euphemized? How did we get from "stoner" to
"cardholder", "dealer" to "caregiver", and "dope" to "medicine"?
Since when did a "party" become a "gathering of patients"?

And why does a disagreement with a marijuana user often result in the
use of caricature? Reluctant about decriminalization and
legalization? Clearly you're a Reefer Madness scold. Such juvenile
stereotyping is exhausting.

The winking and elbow nudging happening amongst the cannabis crowd
means they've lost sight of the most honest argument in their arsenal
- - If an adult wants to get stoned, it's none of my damned business.
But instead of leading with a moral argument - the right of every
adult to live life in any peaceful way they choose - we get gassy
harangues about alleviating chronic pain.

If increased personal liberty is the ultimate destination of this
crowd, they sure have picked a weird way to get there.

Gordon L. Shadle

Albany (May 23)