Letter to the Editor

Decriminalization of marijuana would help our community

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

To the Editor:

I hereby declare that I fully support the decriminalization of marijuana. I support decriminalization because...

1.) My mother passed away from a prescription narcotic overdose in November of 2011, at the age of 46.

2.) I believe that marijuana is a lifesaving plant, as people suffering from debilitating pain and/or terminal illnesses can use marijuana and be relieved of pain, without having to deal with the many negative side-effects of narcotics.

3.) I believe that physicians should be required, by law, to notify patients as to whether or not their ailments could be treated by marijuana, and if so, they should provide patients with the option of choosing marijuana.

4.) I believe that individuals who find themselves addicted to street drugs, narcotics and even alcohol should be able to see their primary care physician and request a prescription of marijuana in an attempt to curb their addictions and improve their quality of life.

5.) I believe that simple possession of cannabis, up to a certain-gram amount, should no longer be criminalized or penalized, but trafficking or distributing, possessing large amounts and driving under the influence of marijuana should remain unlawful.

In closing: I believe that we’re shooting ourselves in the foot by going on the offensive against marijuana.

It’s a plant that we have characterized as being bad for us for so long, for too long.

It’s not the ‘devil’s lettuce’ we make it out to be.

It’s not a substance that has taken any lives to the grave or taken any victims by addiction.

I feel strongly about the notion that marijuana could improve the quality of life of those addicted to street drugs, alcohol or narcotics.

I wouldn’t wish the pain of addiction and the pain of losing someone to addiction on my worst enemy.

It was a pain that I went through and hated it.

It breaks my heart seeing other people having to go through that pain.

It is a pain that no one should have to go through.

Lastly, I feel strongly about the notion that individuals should be able to possess a certain-gram amount of marijuana without being penalized or punished.

I feel that it is the safest substance to use, and if they choose to use a substance of any kind, I would hope it would be marijuana.

I would even go so far as to encourage the use of marijuana.

I hope and pray that our state, our nation comes to its senses one day and decides to stop punishing individuals who are literally choosing the healthier alternative, and that they would encourage everyone to use the healthier alternative.

We are plagued with physicians and politicians who are putting the power of the mighty dollar above the health and welfare of the people.

We are plagued with physicians prescribing narcotics to any patient who simply requests them because they need to feed their addiction.

We are plagued with manufacturers and traffickers of illicit drugs roaming our streets, preying on our people and tearing our families apart.

We are plagued with addicts selling their bodies, selling their souls for their next fix because they can’t afford to pay monetarily.

We are plagued with addicts becoming statistics because they weren’t able to choose a healthier alternative in marijuana.

We are plagued and I pray, by God, that it will change one day.

Noah Daves

Poplar Bluff