End ‘pot’ prohibition ADVERTISING End ‘pot’ prohibition It is heartening and ironic to see a photo of Seattle’s top prosecuting attorney buying recreational cannabis in a licensed, taxed and regulated pot shop on its first day of operation (“This is
End ‘pot’ prohibition
It is heartening and ironic to see a photo of Seattle’s top prosecuting attorney buying recreational cannabis in a licensed, taxed and regulated pot shop on its first day of operation (“This is real,” July 14, Tribune-Herald).
His comment, “This is a wonderful place to purchase marijuana where it’s out of the shadows,” brings to mind how cannabis is now sold in the United States by criminal gangs, drug cartels and thugs. What a great feeling it would be to purchase organic and high-quality pot in a safe environment. So glad to see things are changing in many places across the nation.
The 45-year war on marijuana, in addition to having cost the taxpayers billions of dollars and ruining the lives of untold millions of otherwise law abiding citizens, has been the worse drug policy failure that America has ever sought to create.
We learned that alcohol prohibition was a failure in the United States back in the ’20s and early ’30s. Why did we ever go there with marijuana prohibition?
Following the money will show that the “prison industrial state” pushed for stricter and stricter drug laws and punishments. And (a policy that used) not-so-disguised racism to lock up small-time offenders — most often people of color and, in Hawaii, folks of native ancestry — was aggressively implemented. This maintained and perpetuated a class system to keep poor people down.
To break this stranglehold is the responsibility and duty of the citizens to inform themselves and vote for legislators at all levels of government who will ensure that laws passed are fair and just.
Let’s end cannabis prohibition in the next state legislative session by voting in representatives that work for the all people and not for the powerful few.
What better time is there than now?
Andrea Tischler
Hilo
All clear
Mahalo to the workers of the state Department of Transportation for trimming the bamboo that was growing on the roadside at the intersection of North Glenwood Road and Highway 11.
The bamboo was seriously obstructing drivers’ vision and presented a traffic hazard. Now it’s all clear and safe once again.
Good Job. Mahalo.
Lester Brandt
Mountain View
