CANNABIS LAWS CONSTRICT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

I appreciated your editorial helping expose the price of cannabis
prohibition ("Enforcing marijuana laws wastes time, money," July 29), but
there is another higher price that must be grasped.

The price of cannabis prohibition is freedom of religion.

People have used cannabis for spiritual religious reasons throughout
history. That the U.S. would prohibit this spiritually implicated plant is
a blatant failure to allow an environment conducive to honest freedom of
religion.

Fact is, the U.S. government perpetuates a dark, bloody, biblically sinful
battle to eliminate cannabis and the cannabis culture. This isn't just a
corporation lying about a product; this is a government stating they
promote freedom of religion, yet denying my historical legitimate religious
culture. That's not freedom of religion.

By extension, the price of cannabis prohibition is peace. My culture
believes cannabis is the tree of life as written about in Revelation 22 and
is for the healing of nations. Without the tree of life, what will heal the
nations? Exterminate cannabis, the tree of life, and how will the nations heal?

The cost of cannabis prohibition is higher than the buzz itself.

Stan White

Dillon, Colo.