Booze far worse than marijuana
Dear Editor: This letter is in response to two recent letters to the editor with regards to the subject of marijuana and whether or not it should be legal.
The first letter from D. Simpson of Kelowna (“Marijuana not part of God’s law, Herald, May 17), I am a little confused. If pot was not part of God’s law, then why did He put it on earth to begin with? Marijuana has been around for tens of thousands of years (probably much longer.) Tell me, was alcohol part of God’s plan? Did He plan to ruin families, finances, and lives? I thought He was a loving God. I will cite the quote used in the letter. In 2 Peter 1:3, “that we have been given all things that pertain to life and Godliness.” This includes marijuana.
For some reason people think that as soon as marijuana is legal, throngs of people are going to start using it and we will have stoned drivers all over the place (like it’s not happening now; how many drivers out there on prescription opioids?) I call BS on that. People are not abstaining just because it is illegal now.
As far as losing touch with God, all I can say is that before I started using, my spiritual life was non-existent. I pay a lot more attention to my spiritual side now.
A study was done to see how pot affects one’s ability to operate a motor vehicle. Colorado State troopers set up a closed course and had drivers do the course, first straight, then under the influence of pot. It wasn’t until the driver was seven times the legal limit that the trooper said he would pull the person over.
The second letter was entitled “Marijuana legalization a bad idea” (Okanagan Saturday, May 20). The letter writer says “pot production might bring a few jobs.” It will bring thousands of jobs (growers, trimmers, warehouse personnel, security staff, new businesses with dispensaries, increased business for places like Brinks, who will have a lot more money to move.) It’s a win-win-win situation.
Ms. Eberle is wrong in her statement that marijuana is the most commonly abused drug around the world. First of all it is not a drug, it is an herb. Secondly, alcohol, caffeine and nicotine are the most widely abused drugs around the world.
I always hear people whining about wanting world peace. Want world peace? Make it mandatory world wide for everyone over 18 to smoke one joint in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening. That way nobody will be angry enough to pick up a gun.
Like Rodney Dangerfield said of pot: “Booze is 100 times worse. The last thing you feel like doing after smoking a joint is getting into a fight.” Enough said. Mark Billesberger
Penticton