I read the editorial about the U.S. Supreme Court ruling to allow prosecution of people using medicinal marijuana ("Weeded out" SN 6/7). I was surprised to read so many illogical thoughts coming from people who are supposed to be in an institution of higher learning. The authors of the article say there are many arguments against legalization and, "we don't agree with any of those."

In fact, there are many good reasons why weed is illegal. The authors just choose to make a blanket statement, saying the reasons are all wrong. The authors claim that Americans are being "robbed" of seeking relief from pain. The simple fact is that there are many painkillers (prescription and non) available to anyone with pain. The authors claim that people who suffer from pain live in "agony," while kids and celebrities are "free" to abuse OxyContin and Vicodin.

In their attempt to try to make a point, they misstate the fact that abusing pills, such as Vicodin and OxyContin, is illegal as well. Again, the authors show their agenda-driven thought process by claiming that pills are more of a gateway drug than marijuana. Not true. The characteristics of a drug (narcotic or hallucinogen) do not make a drug a "gateway" drug. The fact that most hard-core drug abusers started with marijuana is what makes marijuana a "gateway" drug. I've never talked to a heroin user that said it all started when they took Vicodin.

By saying that people who oppose legalizing marijuana are elite, old farts with skewed opinions, the authors show just how out of touch with reality they are. They finally try to argue that the government doesn't listen to people because they disagree with people in 10 states. What the authors fail to mention is that people in 40 states apparently disagree with the people in the 10 that they champion. Americans suffering from cancer have several options to choose from. Don't make it sound like they have to get high or die in pain. That isn't true, and the authors know it.

The real reason behind the editorial board opinion is selfishness. The authors don't actually care about the suffering of old people. They care about advancing the cause of legalizing marijuana, so they can benefit from it. The authors of the editorial do not care about the pain of the elderly - they care about themselves.

Aaron Kendall
2000 graduate