420
Founder
Perhaps we are missing the point in the discussion over medicinal marijuana. I do not smoke marijuana, and I am not a "pot-head." I am a high school teacher who works with young people every day, and I completely oppose our nation's failing war on marijuana. This so-called "war" being waged by pompous politicians who want to look tough on crime is a well-documented disaster that is draining our hard-earned tax money and making a mockery of the individual liberties on which our country was founded.
On the federal level, $4 billion is spent annually on the arrest, prosecution and incarceration of marijuana offenders. Kentucky spends over $7 million eradicating cannabis plants every year. There is no solid evidence that extended prison sentences and eradication efforts reduce the use of drugs in our society. Our hard-earned money, which is sorely needed for local infrastructure, community development and education, is literally going up in smoke.
Ever since the passage of mandatory minimum jail sentences for drug offenders ( including marijuana ) in the 1980s, the prison population in the U.S. has exploded. We now incarcerate a larger percentage of our population than any other country in the world. Often, first-time, nonviolent marijuana offenders are serving longer terms than violent criminals. These laws completely violate the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution that protects us against cruel and unusual punishment.
Make no mistake: Marijuana is not harmless, as some would claim. It does impair judgment, and it causes some of the same long-term health issues as cigarettes. However, vilifying its use distracts us from a much more important question: Do our current policies truly make our state and our country a better place to live? If we cannot answer this question with certainty, it is time to put aside shallow "get tough" slogans and at least open a dialogue on other possibilities.
MICHAEL E. SLIDER
La Grange, Ky. 40031
Pubdate: Mon, 13 Jun 2005
Source: Courier-Journal, The (KY)
Copyright: 2005 The Courier-Journal
Contact: cjletter@courier-journal.com
Website: Louisville News, Louisville Sports | Courier-Journal
On the federal level, $4 billion is spent annually on the arrest, prosecution and incarceration of marijuana offenders. Kentucky spends over $7 million eradicating cannabis plants every year. There is no solid evidence that extended prison sentences and eradication efforts reduce the use of drugs in our society. Our hard-earned money, which is sorely needed for local infrastructure, community development and education, is literally going up in smoke.
Ever since the passage of mandatory minimum jail sentences for drug offenders ( including marijuana ) in the 1980s, the prison population in the U.S. has exploded. We now incarcerate a larger percentage of our population than any other country in the world. Often, first-time, nonviolent marijuana offenders are serving longer terms than violent criminals. These laws completely violate the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution that protects us against cruel and unusual punishment.
Make no mistake: Marijuana is not harmless, as some would claim. It does impair judgment, and it causes some of the same long-term health issues as cigarettes. However, vilifying its use distracts us from a much more important question: Do our current policies truly make our state and our country a better place to live? If we cannot answer this question with certainty, it is time to put aside shallow "get tough" slogans and at least open a dialogue on other possibilities.
MICHAEL E. SLIDER
La Grange, Ky. 40031
Pubdate: Mon, 13 Jun 2005
Source: Courier-Journal, The (KY)
Copyright: 2005 The Courier-Journal
Contact: cjletter@courier-journal.com
Website: Louisville News, Louisville Sports | Courier-Journal
