MARIJUANA HARMS

I have listened to all the talk about legalizing marijuana. That marijuana
is not harmful to your health, that it has no side effects. Well, I beg to
differ.

I have a niece, born and raised in California, blonde, blue eyes, and a
body to die for, "or so the boys say."

At 16, she began smoking marijuana with friends. Today, she is 37 years old
and looks old beyond her years. Her face is wrinkled, her eyes are always
glazed over, her skin is old looking, she can't carry on a conversation
coherently, she has old-age red spots on her skin, and too many other side
effects to mention.

She smokes a joint in the morning, again around noon, and in the evening.
My niece cannot function without her pot on a regular basis. Her attention
span is very short.

I will admit she is the most loving and happy go-lucky person I know. My
niece loves kids. However, she has never been able to have any and she has
never taken birth control of any kind.

Her boyfriend of all these years takes care of her financially and is
always there for her. Rehab, counseling, well marijuana is not harmful,
remember, so she doesn't see a problem with smoking pot.

I don't visit my niece at home. I worry about the cops coming and, well,
guilt by association is still punishable.

My niece knows that I love her and why I don't visit. We talk on the phone
a lot and she still has a hard time with complete sentences.

I remember a little girl, blonde, blue eyes, smart above her years,
according to her teachers. I miss that little girl, and I would like to
know who said marijuana wasn't bad for you. Myth.

Before a friend died of cancer two months ago he said, "Marijuana doesn't
help the pain, nothing does. You just deal with it, and then you die."

Mary Blackwell

Gilbert