Pubdate: Sun, 16 Jun 2013
Source: Casper Star-Tribune (WY)
Copyright: 2013 Lee Enterprises
Contact:  http://www.trib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/765
Author: Joe DePaul

RE-LEGALIZE NOW

Editor:

The New England Journal of Medicine did a poll recently where they
asked doctors worldwide if they would prescribe medical marijuana to
an elderly woman with cancer.

Seventy-nine percent worldwide and 76 percent of U.S. doctors said
they would.

In another poll, 76 percent of Americans favor re-legalization of
medical marijuana while 56 percent favor total re-legalization.

So why isn't pot legal?

Well, aside from the obvious, corporate profit, have you ever
considered that the anti-gunners also don't want pot legal? The
reason? Ninety percent of the gun violence in the U.S. is "drug war"
related. With 85 percent of those who use any illicit substance only
smoking pot, re-legalization would definitely reduce the scope and
size of this war thus reducing the gun violence this war, like all
war, brings with it. So it stands to reason the anti-gun lobby would
also oppose marijuana re-legalization. Re-legalizing would put a real
kink in their disarmament argument with the reduction of violence
re-legalization would bring with it. And by the way that last
statistic shoots the gateway myth now doesn't it?

Continuing this unwinnable war on pot will indeed increase the
negative effects both directly and indirectly this war is having on
our not-so-free society. But alas the anti-pot forces like the
anti-gunner or the anti-smoking zealots for that matter could care
less about rights as long as they get their narrow-minded, selfish
way. It really doesn't matter to these and other "anti" groups the
amount of real damage they cause to freedom and prosperity. After all,
they're just trying to save us from our freedom-loving selves no
matter the cost to those freedoms hold so dear.

Freedom is respect for property and individual rights. They're one and
the same, so show some respect: Re-legalize now.

JOE DePAUL, Casper
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MAP posted-by: Matt