ANTI-MARIJUANA ADS SPEAK THE TRUTH

To the Editor:

I was very disturbed by Allison Leshefsky's words about marijuana on Feb.
19. Only an ignorant person oblivious to the world around her could make
statements like she did. To not be aware that marijuana directly relates to
the problems of terrorism, pregnancy, etc. is just plain stupid. I guess
the commercials only input a "meaningless implementation of fear in the
minds of young adults." Wrong. There is a bigger picture.

They were not only attacking marijuana, which is a harmful drug, regardless
of if it kills you or not, but in the commercials they also attack the
lifestyle that marijuana can lead to. Marijuana is a gateway drug, which
means that almost 100 percent of Americans who use harder drugs like
cocaine, heroin or crack were introduced to drugs via marijuana.

And how about those pregnancies? Most young adults who become pregnant
choose a decadent lifestyle, in which they may not specifically use
marijuana or not be able to fight off a rape, but the drugs and their
lifestyle dictates their bad decisions (not using protection).

Just think of a world where marijuana didn't exist. This would directly
affect the usage of other hard drugs, the number of violent crimes and
poverty. Are people that kill indiscriminately for drugs, money and power
not terrorists? Marijuana provides billions of dollars to drug dealers and
their suppliers that end up killing innocent people and creating extreme
social and economic problems. So go ahead Allison. Go smoke your marijuana
in your happy smoke-filled Amherst valley, murderer.

Eric Rothermel

UMass Student