Pubdate: Mon, 19 Apr 2010
Source: Maui Weekly (HI)
Copyright: 2010, Maui Weekly
Contact:  http://www.mauiweekly.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2345
Author: Lloyd Buell

MAKING CRIMINALS OUT OF POT SMOKERS IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE

If you don't like the law, can you really change it?

Reading the lead article, "Marijuana Bills Halted in House," in the 
Maui Weekly's April 8-14 edition, I was humored by the amount of 
energy the established nonsensical officials go to in order to 
maintain this prohibition and perpetuate the fear of a substance that 
has been growing in popularity since I first began smoking it some 50 
years ago. I remember conversations with some self-righteous police 
officers way back then, and there response was, "If you don't like 
the law, you can change it."

"LOL." We, the citizens, have been trying to change this law for at 
least 50 years and yet the police and selected officials are still 
making too much money from it to ever allow us, the people, to do that.

I especially laughed out loud reading the imported fear monger from 
L.A., Bixler, implying that his "squads have seen a sustainable 
increase in crime rates-nearly 200 percent-and worsening since the 
dispensaries started popping up." "Theoretically, these places are 
just storefront marijuana dealers," he said.

I don't have time to examine the logic-or lack of it-here, but I will 
say that I have witnessed more sociological damage done to otherwise 
harmless young and older people from individuals like Bixler and his 
ilk than I have ever witnessed from the thousands of joints that have 
been smoked in spite of the misguided public fear-mongers and 
punishment-oriented public servants who receive a paycheck from us.

It seems the police and the legislators are living in a fear-oriented 
delusion of "parental superiority" that they obviously don't deserve.

Making criminals out of people who smoke pot is counterproductive. We 
should finally get over it and spend the money putting our kids back 
in school on Fridays!

Lloyd Buell
Kula 
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