Editor,
May God and the state Legislature save us from Richard Fagerlund and others like him. To his mind, not passing drug reform this legislative session is impractical at least, for ignoring a widespread habit of drug use in our state, and immoral at worst, for denying care to those whose suffering is extended by lack of legal access to marijuana.
Enough of this crap.
There is absolutely no medical condition whose treatment requires illicit drug use at the expense of proper medical care. Even the active ingredient of marijuana, THC, is available in a synthetic form and can be prescribed by doctors if need be.
The only objection to this form of the drug could be its expense; yet the argument in this case should be about the cost of prescription drugs in general, not the suffering of a very tiny minority. And I for one am tired of hearing about how many "innocent" marijuana smokers are ending up in jail.
That the drug is a controlled substance is common knowledge. Therefore, one who uses the drug outside of a controlled clinical environment, by definition, cannot by a "law-abiding citizen." If one breaks the law willfully, that person becomes responsible for having the law brought against them.
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If this has an adverse impact on their families and their careers, it's because it was meant to be that way. The foolishness of offenders is no reason to damn the laws that punish them. Laws may be just or unjust, but there is no mandate for idiocy in the populace.
Treatment for drug users is rehabilitative and laudable, but to legalize "recreational" drugs under the guise of medical necessity and an argument of "wasted law enforcement resources" is to slap the faces of parents in New Mexicans. For years they've told their children, or should have, to not use drugs, to not smoke, for their health and their safety.
And now our governor and Mr. Fagerlund and the rest are saying it's OK to do these things, your parents were wrong; your health isn't so valuable that people who are little better than stoned hippies shouldn't be allowed to grow this drug in their own backyards.
If we are truly unfortunate this session, marijuana use may become legal by year's end.
And what's worse, our governor is hoping to include this as part of his "legacy" in this state. Mr. Johnson, Mr. Fagerlund: spare us.
David Newbert
UNM Bookstore staff member
