RICE COLUMN A ONE-WAY STREET

From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews)

Mitzpe Ramon, Israel

Editor:

In response to George Rice's column: "Free your mind - Really."
George, if you want to know what a rose smells like, go smell a rose.

I'm taking that your views are based on misinformation that you've
read or been taught or on anecdotal evidence that you've picked up in
your line of work. In your statements, I hear nothing of personal
experience. I do hear a lot of story-mixing in your statements. I've
personally never known anyone 'high' on cannabis to piss in the
middle of anywhere, unless they were trying not to hit the toilet seat.

Most of the behaviors that you speak of point to other substances
being involved besides marijuana. And before you jump on the
"marijuana is a gateway drug" bandwagon, remember that alcohol (a
legal substance) is a gateway drug to fights, unruly behavior, child
abandonment and scores of other things.

Let me ask you George, have you ever stopped off with your pals and
had a quick one after work? I see a lot of "cop" shows on TV, and
they always end up at the bar, after a hard day of chasing down the
criminal element. You ever do that? How do you get home?

You don't even touch on the benefits of cannabis or the industrial
properties of hemp.

You're not a one-way street, are you?

George, you speak like a convert. Do you know what a convert is?

A convert is someone who has had information beaten into their heads
until it comes out of their mouths, but they really don't understand
it, they just parrot it.

So, George, if these are the things that you believe at night when
you're falling asleep, maybe you need a vacation. A vacation from yourself.