WHEN WILL THIS (MARIJUANA) WAR EVER END?

Will the marijuana war end?

I think the only thing anyone ever talked to me about this week was
marijuana. Since last week's column printed, I haven't been able to
get away from the topic.

Should cannabis be legal?

Why is it illegal?

Why are people being criminalized?

Why are we being invaded?

Can weed actually heal you?

WARNING: marijuana is a very emotional subject to discuss. Please
don't bring it up at any fun, lighthearted gatherings -- unless you
don't mind people getting not so fun and lighthearted.

In the past week, I think I've heard practically every perspective on
the issue. People have talked broadly; they've talked personally.
They shared their pros; they shared their cons. They discussed
legalization; they discussed criminalization. Overall, people were
concerned about society's safety, freedom, and well-being as a whole.

Some debated on whether or not weed fried people's brains, led them
to harder drugs, simply mellowed people out, or healed people's
ailments. Some disagreed on weed's effects because it's really hard
to say how any chemical will affect any individual. From alcohol to
caffeine, from salt to sugar, from meats to carbs, some people are
just predisposed to certain intolerances and/or addictions.

So some will say it's good, and some will say it's bad.

When people argued about the legal aspect, some said that if it were
legal, the government could make money off of taxes, and marijuana
prices would go down, which would make it less of a commodity. Others
argued that more crime and theft would ensue on people's marijuana
farms. They also said that legalizing it would lead to the
legalization of harder drugs, like ice and cocaine...and that would
not be good.

But the bottom line to all of this is that people smoke marijuana
anyway. So how do we deal with that?

Others who didn't seem to have any answers were simply perplexed at
how law enforcement has been handling marijuana busts.

"Why not focus on the ice problem first"? many have asked.

"Why not put more time and money towards education instead of
incarceration"? Some think that pot offenders are taking up space in
prisons that could be used for rapists, murderers, and crackheads
instead. Others are fed up with the noise and invasion of helicopters
hovering over their neighborhoods, and no one can figure out if Green
Harvest has been terminated or not. Another burning question seems to
be, "Where do all the marijuana plants go after they're seized?"

And what the community is really disturbed about are the unannounced,
illegal, violent house raids, which include merciless abuse of pet
animals and ruthless vandalism of private property. People have
become frightened to be in their own homes...and they sound like
they're tired of it.

This is what I read recently on a posted flier:

'Peace Through Action'

"The Big Island community for over 20 years has had to tolerate
burglars, armed robbery by organized crime organizations in Hawaii,
and unlawful police raids. Peace through doing nothing has not worked.

"This is why hundreds of Big Island community members are joined
together to see it stop! PEACE through action wants PEACE!!!!

"We want to live in 'peace and harmony' with our entire extended Big
Island ohana! We want our families to live without fear of robbers,
rapists, or law enforcement unlawfully coming with guns in hand,
invading our homes."

The flier says that some of their actions will include the use of
weapons, alarms and foghorns, radio communication, camera
surveillance, private detectives and military tactics.

Sounds intense.

But I guess people are serious about finally stopping this marijuana war.

I'm just afraid to see how it's gonna end.