OPINION: Letter to the Editor: Legalization of marijuana should concern us all

Aug. 20--The legalization of marijuana should concern us all

Tragically, New Mexico will eventually legalize recreational marijuana. Some people will make a fortune when pot is legalized -- "Avarice usually outweighs morality."

The legalization/decriminalization of a crime means the sanctioning of the activity that was legalized/decriminalized.

Something that's bad, like marijuana, can't be justified by comparing it to something that's worse, like alcohol.

The proponents of recreational marijuana aren't concerned about the following:

Per the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the use of marijuana, by pregnant mothers, may lower their babies' IQs; cognitive functions and birth weights.

Per the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, traffic accidents have increased in the states that have legalized recreational marijuana.

Per the King's College London, marijuana users are more likely to become psychotic than nonusers.

Per the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, marijuana smokers are more likely to die from a stroke than nonsmokers.

Sadly, when recreational pot is legalized, more tots will be exposed to toxic, secondhand, marijuana smoke. A joint can have up to 70 percent more carcinogens than a cigarette.

Reader, if you're concerned about the above, please contact the governor.

Franklin Boren

Tinnie, N.M.

On guns and violence

It amazes me how many of our elected officials and their groupies, continue to follow the same M.O., tragedy after tragedy, while failing to accept their own failed policies, that helped create this violence.

When I was a kid, one could buy WW2 surplus in almost any hardware store without background checks, yet I can't remember mass shootings. So, what has happened?

As a culture, we are being rewarded for following a philosophy that centers on the elimination or modification of the concepts of traditional family, religion, schools, right and wrong, good and bad, human interaction, self respect and personal shame; while promoting disrespect and ridicule to country, flag, culture, history, the National Anthem, authority and even to oneself; the very glue that holds us all together.

This lack of guiding principals and interactions has created a "basement culture," where disturbed individuals can communicate with other disturbed individuals online and without any supervision or intervention. According to a recent poll of 1254 adults, 22 % of millennials (23 to 38 years old) have no friends and 27% have no close friends, while 30% feel lonely. This results in depression, feelings of isolation, anger,desperation and becoming vulnerable. Add on violent computer games, where violence is just for the sake of violence; why wouldn't fantasy become reality and the abnormal the new normal?

I don't have a problem with increased background checks etc, but that is not the problem. The problem is that we have now created a group of people without feelings, self-respect, self- shame or traditional human values.

In the 2016 FBI report on Violence, 374 people were killed with rifles, while 472 were killed with blunt objects, 656 with hands and feet and 1604 with knives. Yet all we hear are the evils of certain rifles. Ignorance or planned?

Historically across the world, when a deranged individual wants to create chaos, we too often turn over our freedoms to "governments"for protection. But increased government power, doesn't have a good world historic track record, especially when guns are involved.

So, be prepared for the next bout of insanity, whether it be guns, knives, bombs, cars or gas. It will happen and will have little to do with reason, personal restrictions or government gun control.

Phil Schreiber

Alto, N.M.

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