Pubdate: Mon, 27 Oct 2014
Source: Tampa Bay Times (FL)
Copyright: 2014 St. Petersburg Times
Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/letters/
Website: http://www.tampabay.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/419
Author: Chip Thomas

DECRIMINALIZE USE OF MARIJUANA

Re: Amendment 2

No matter how opposed you are to the wording of Amendment 2 -
marijuana as medicine - or its use in general, can anyone justify
criminalizing and jailing people for personal consumption the way we
have been for years? What is the benefit of turning productive and
otherwise law-abiding citizens into felons?

Marijuana has been safely used for centuries by cultures around the
world, for medicine, recreation and even religious reasons. It is no
more of a gateway drug than cigarettes or alcohol, and unlike the
latter two, is not physically addictive.

With the advent of vaporizing, the harm from smoke inhalation is
easily avoided, leaving the legal fallout of getting busted as by far
the biggest danger of responsible use. The current inane laws
unnecessarily burden law enforcement and lead to overcrowded prisons,
undermining the legal system at great expense.

That using marijuana is such a crime is a crime in
itself.

Whether Amendment 2 passes or fails, decriminalizing pot - be it for
medicinal purposes, religious ceremony, or simply getting stoned -
should be the next step going forward.

Chip Thomas, Tampa
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MAP posted-by: Richard