EXAMINE THE REAL PROP 2 ISSUES

Government agencies have spoken their opinions on the ballot
initiative crafted to regulate marijuana usage in Alaska. While they
are certainly entitled to their beliefs, they have been silent on the
facts: People who want to smoke marijuana will do so whether illegal
or not; the drug war is not stopping people from using drugs; and only
those with medical degrees should decide if marijuana is an
appropriate treatment for their patients.

I am a responsible wife and mother. I have no desire to smoke
marijuana and think that doing so recreationally is a ridiculous,
irresponsible choice. Nevertheless, it should be my choice. I am tired
of the government continuing to make the choice for me, taking police
away from real crime fighting and spending millions of dollars of our
taxes to fight a miserably failing drug war. That money could be
better used to, say, create jobs or fund education, or to make
America's big cities safer.

History has proven that legalizing a substance eliminates the criminal
element and helps control its use. Does America suffer from Al
Capone-style gangsters brandishing Gatling guns in secret speakeasies?
No, those days of alcohol prohibition are gone. Alcohol use and abuse
is better controlled because of legalization. Our cities still suffer
from violence and poverty, largely due to drug lords' turf wars,
smuggling and dealing operations. These could be eliminated in a
matter of hours if voters would approve the same regulations put in
place to monitor alcohol.

Also tiring is the sickening double standard behind regulation of
things Americans choose to smoke: Tobacco cigarettes are far more
lethal than marijuana; however, they remain legal because the
government makes a great deal of money on the taxes they generate, and
Democrats and Republicans get huge campaign donations from tobacco
companies. This proposition calls their bluff, suggesting that as long
as people choose to smoke pot (and they will), we should make it legal
and expensive and possibly make up some of the huge federal budget
deficit at the same time.

Lastly, I am shocked that bureaucrats in Washington feel they are
better prepared to make medical decisions on behalf of people who
actually hold medical degrees. Why do they continue to keep necessary
pain relief from cancer patients and those with other specific
ailments? When I had surgery last year, I received both morphine and
oxycod for my few, brief days of pain. Why should these controlled
substances be allowed in by body and my home, yet doctor-monitored
usage of marijuana is not an option to help make a cancer patient's
last days more comfortable?

Opponents of this measure are desperately hoping that the infusion of
"Outside money" into this proposition will turn voters off. Are they
kidding? Take a look at the campaign ads for Alaska's leading Senate
candidates - most are funded by Washington D.C.'s national Democrat
and Republican party committees. Not Alaskans. And, what percentage of
industry and programs in Alaska are funded with federal dollars?
Honestly, how can government officials keep straight faces when they
play the "Outside money" card on this issue?

These are the real issues that Proposition 2 proposes to address.
Sometimes the best decision is a hard one. Even if you do not approve
of marijuana use, I urge you to learn more about this ballot measure.

Sara Chambers is vice chairperson of the Alaska Libertarian Party.