LETTER: Marijuana should not be strictly enforced


I am writing in regard to the editorial “Keep Bayanet.” This piece was sorely lacking in many areas, in regard to the “War on Drugs.”

First, the fact that state and local governments are spending millions of dollars to eradicate a plant that has hundreds of different functions to society is the real crime. Marijuana has proven itself to be effective in treating a wide variety of medical disorders without the toxic side-effects that come with legal prescription drugs. Yet it remains illegal because pharmaceutical companies are not able to patent it (and thereby, profit from it). Additionally, marijuana prohibition was propped up by the oil industry, as hemp oil could feasibly eliminate the need for all fossil fuel usage.

Combine that with the fact that prisons are now a private industry, and need the healthy stream of inmates provided by marijuana prohibition in order to keep profits high, and one can see that fighting to keep “weed” illegal is clearly not about curbing drug abuse.

People need to wake up to the fact that the entire reasoning behind marijuana/hemp prohibition is a total fraud, and one that does a disservice to everyone, regardless of whether they get high from the plant or not.

I wonder why the government and big industries don’t want individuals to be able to grow their own medicine, oil, food, shelter, etc.

Once you wake up to the fact that you are being lied to, the truth becomes clear: The War on Pot is a war on us all. I would hope that the next time you write about drug-related issues, you go beyond reprinting government propaganda. You owe it the public.

Colin Howard

Grand Rapids senior

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