You’re All Right, Jack
Jack Lessenberry: Congratulations on your 1,000th Politics & Prejudices column for Metro Times. I’ve known you to be one of the most intelligent politicos in Michigan and really enjoy your well-written articles. —Michael Caruso, Royal Oak
Laws for Gain and Profit
I’m writing to thank you for Larry Gabriel’s excellent articles related to the current unreasonable laws imposed on the use of marijuana. They represent a valiant effort to awaken the sleeping populace. Please continue your efforts, I hope they are fruitful.
We here in the United States are force-fed laws that are totally useless and cause more issues than they solve. I have traveled extensively throughout the Western world and found the laws here the most enforced by entrapment. They include both the personal and vehicular laws. I have found here in the United States that laws are used by both the police officers and the courts for the financial gains that result from enforcement. The laws do not provide any sort of protection as they are touted to provide. The need for a complete review of all implementation strategies is needed at all levels. —Robert J. Causley, Roseville
We also had a number of online responses to Larry Gabriel’s article about how children and families are increasingly at the forefront of the medical marijuana debate as typified in the “Baby Bree” case. A user identified as paulmagillsmith posted:
There are many more causes of asthma than just second-hand tobacco (or even cannabis) smoke. The judge is flat-out wrong to be so intrusive by saying the adults in the house can be penalized for smoking in their own home, or even having the right to smoke at all. A gun in a household with children is dangerous and potentially lethal, so to be consistent, the judge would have to outlaw firearms in the home also, wouldn’t he?
Much of the increase in cases of asthma (and cancers and other diseases too) has also been attributed to the increase in exhaust emissions from vehicles, coal-fired power plants, and other sources of air pollution. Another factor is the reduction of physical exercise among today’s youth. When I was about 10 or 11, I suffered from asthmatic bronchitis attacks. At that time, my parents joined a swimming pool, and despite me smoking a daily pack of unfiltered cigarettes since about age 13 (I’m 66 now), I’ve never had another attack. Of course this is a personal experience, and because of genetics and good eating habits, my situation doesn’t necessarily apply to the population in general.
A user identified as Steve posted:
Legalize all drugs. It is stupid the amount of money we spend on the War on Drugs. People are going to do drugs anyway. The weed smokers will live longer and better than the alcoholics, and the crack, coke and meth heads will die in six months from legally smoking themselves into the ground, great for natural selection as well.
Instead we arrest them, take any property they may have had, give them a felony record and then get pissed off when they can’t get a job.
Ron Paul says it is a victimless crime. Not totally true, as children of crackheads have issues too, but, in the New World Order where drugs are legal, those people will be gone from smoking themselves to death.
And since it is legal, there will be less larceny and less people killing each other for this crap. They could actually keep their job and get high after work just like the drinkers. The only difference is the weed smokers won’t start fights and throw up all over the place, they may play some extra Pink Floyd on the jukebox, other than that, there won’t be any issues … except a shortage of snacks maybe.
