DON'T LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

When Len Schropfer exhorted voters ("Don't be afraid to sign," letter,
Dec. 26) to support the marijuana legalization initiative petition, he
did not back up his plea with the truth about marijuana.

The truth is that marijuana is an addictive, dangerous drug. Marijuana
can attack the immune system so that it can make sick people sicker.
Pot has more cancer-causing ingredients than tobacco. Marijuana can
hurt the circulatory system and impair brain function of users.

The legalization of marijuana would increase the use of that drug.
Increased use would result in increased addiction and increased crime.
Marijuana-related traffic crashes have increased in states that have
legalized marijuana under the guise of calling it "medicine." Home
fires also have increased in those states as a result of pot growing
operations.

But the biggest disaster that would result from Nebraska legalizing
marijuana would be the increased use of marijuana by Nebraska's
children. Adolescent marijuana use already is increasing sharply
because our children have been bombarded with so much pro-pot
"medical" marijuana propaganda. Too many of our children think
marijuana cannot hurt them. Marijuana legalization in Nebraska would
only cement that misconception.

Is this a gamble we want to take with Nebraska's children?

Susie Dugan,

executive director and project manager, PRIDE-Omaha