MANY VIEWS ON MARIJUANA UNREALISTIC

The views expressed in the article "Marijuana Design Attracts Sales,
Flak" truly revealed the phobic beliefs many people have with concern
to marijuana use today. Two issues of concern were the fears expressed
regarding both the message of a marijuana leaf and the patrons who
choose to purchase such a product.

First, I fail to see either how viewing a marijuana leaf can cause
otherwise sober individuals to become drug users. The choice to use
marijuana is and always has been one for the individual to decide and
is by no means influenced by a simple leaf. Furthermore, the
association between marijuana and the growing methamphetamine
use/production problem in Montana is preposterous. The only reason
that marijuana users sometimes decide to move on to harder drugs is
because of the exposure that accompanies the black market, exposure to
harder drugs that are also illegal.

Remove the black market from the marijuana and we have a safe
environment to purchase marijuana.

Let's be realistic, we cannot remove the marijuana (even with billions
of taxpayer dollars and countless ruined lives), so let's make it safer.

Secondly, the concern over the safety of children and tanners around
marijuana smokers is not in the least questionable. The biggest threat
to those tanners is skin cancer.

These fears represent a saddening acceptance of the "Reefer Madness"
mentality we have been fed since day one. Open your eyes, the drug war
is lost. Let's search for alternative solutions to our nation's drug
problems.

Adam Jones, Montana NORML

Billings