Over the years I have become a proponent to decriminalize marijuana, as, well, as a proponent of medical marijuana.
I could never vote for legalization based on personal perception. Many years ago I use to smoke it a lot. Today, its rare. Why? Because smoking marijuana does not make me better able to interact with others, conduct my daily business, and assist me in my day-to-day activities.

I owned a towing company for ten years (1975-1985). My former business partner still operates the towing company (he and I still own the land together). It is located on one of Oregon's deadliest highways, the Sunset Highway, U.S. 26, between Portland and Seaside, on the Oregon coast. The company is about half-way in-between.

This is a highway where one turn of the wheel in the wrong-way will put you head-on into another, or drop you over a cliff. There's no other place to go, in most areas of the Sunset.
Marijuana proponents say marijuana is safer than alcohol. When driving a motor vehicle, its not. I serviced many fatal accidents, many injuries accidents, and many folks too high on marijuana and alcohol and other substances.
The results, of such, are the same.

It was not until recently I was won over on the legalization issue. Why? The first two were from a personal perspective. The legalization-issue is, I believe, a social question. A question more about society than personal, and a wider-view about freedom of choice, for not just me, but for all peoples.
I have a friend who, in 2002, was sentenced to five years in prison by the Feds for growing marijuana. He had been busted, once before, in 1970, trying to sneak a kilo of weed across the Mexico-USA border.

Then, he was sentenced to three years. And during the time he was in prison he was stabbed, and almost died.
He is a Vietnam veteran, awarded a purple heart, with PTSD (Posttraumatic stress disorder).
When he was busted in 2002, he had a Oregon Marijuana Card for medical marijuana. The Feds did not honor the card, so, he was put on trial.
After he lost, he became afraid of going back to prison because of his previous experience of being stabbed. So, his 83 year old mom drove him into Canada. They were not stopped at the border.

Canada prohibits those who have committed any felony from entering. He's been in Canada for seven years without work documents, id, all the things you need to live freely. He has been able to survive because of caring Canadians.
On February 6, 2009, the Canadian Immigration people, along with the U.S. Marshal's Office arrested him at his girlfriend's home in north British Columbia.

He's still in Canada fighting to stay. His 90 year old mom has been out-of-her-mind over this with grief. Last week she fell and broke her hip. She has been suffering from shingles, brought on by the grief of this whole chain of events.
His poor mom could possibly die. My friend is 62 years old. The Feds took his military pension away. He used the marijuana for his PTSD. This is a hell of a way to treat a United States veteran.

But, America has been spitting on its veterans for years.
The only thing this so-called War On Drugs has accomplished is to grease the wheels of justice, a sick and twisted justice, a justice serving no one, especially, of no-service to we, the people.

This twisted-justice has ruined lives, killed people, and destroyed countless of others' lives, such, as, families.
This twisted-justice has continued to fill criminals pockets with money from its coffers by allowing the marijuana business to be run by cartels, and other unsavory folks.
I can no longer stand and say I am opposed to Marijuana legalization, and this is not just based on my friend's plight, my decision to vote-to-legalize is because of the many medical conditions it helps.

My friend Thomas who had brain cancer and went through months of chemotherapy had serious issues about eating. He could not eat. But, after smoking marijuana Thomas was able to eat and enjoy his food, and, it kept him a lot happier than without.
Because of his marijuana use it was hard to get him the services he was due because DHS (the Oregon Dept. of Human Services) had been notified by a nurse that Thomas was a drug user.

Oh, he got the services. It was better to give him the services and care for Thomas, than it was to deal with me.
I was his friend and care provider and advocate.

Once marijuana is legal it will no longer be, as, some, pound the pulpit about, an illegal substance.

UPDATE 18 June 2009

Marijuana Bill - Introduced In U. S. Congress:
http://xomba.com/personal_use_marijuana_responsible_adults_act_introduced_congress

Make Money Writing $$$:
http://www.xomba.com/referral/7777ea2e

↑ Grab this Headline Animator