Dear Ms. Daniels,
Thank you for contacting me with your support for the legalization of Marijuana. I appreciate your taking time to reach me, and I enjoy hearing your views.
I am sorry that we may be in some disagreement on this issue. I am opposed to the legalization of marijuana. While the individual users may not often see the larger dangers, marijuana use often escalates into use of harder drugs and contributes to the nationwide cycle of violence resulting from the drug trade. It is estimated that three out of four violent crimes involve drugs. And everyone that participates in the production, selling or using of illegal substances contributes, often unknowingly, to that violence which affects everyone. For these reasons, I believe that current efforts to stop the recreational use and production of marijuana continues to be in the best interests of American society.
Since 1996, nine states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington) have implemented laws allowing seriously ill patients to possess and use medical marijuana under a doctor’s supervision. While these laws protect patients from state criminal marijuana penalties, they do not shield patients from federal prosecution, nor do they allow a state legislature to legally distribute medical marijuana.
Again, thank you for contacting me. Please continue to keep in touch. I look forward to hearing from you in the future on this and other issues of importance.
Sincerely,
Shelley Moore Capito, M.C.
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i also support the legalization of medical marijuana in west virginia and look forward to electing officals who support the views of the people and not just jump through hoops if our elected officals are listening i am a wv resident who has cronic pain and i dont smoke pot because i dont want to break the law but with the research i have read i look forward to smoking medical marijuana for my pain with out breaking the law so if you are listing dont be afraid to do what the people want and you just may have a job when election time comes around again
Being a lifelong West Virginian, I find it disheartening that we still have communist anti Americans like Shelly Caputo in out government. Our state is weak and impoverished because of backward rednecks that will take away marijuana, but put a liquor bottle and a poker chip in the hands of their weak consesus. I smoke marijuana frequently, and I quit drinking years ago when I discovered Marijuana. It just bugs me, I can’t smoke a joint, but I can gamble and drink 3 blocks from a local elementary school. It’s depressing, and always interesting when they bring in the mighty “gateway drug” arguement. I always hear this from the poorly edjucated and financially pacified government that I never vote for, but they always get back in. Thanks alot Robert C. Byrd era automatons who jump through the hoops their corn fed ticket riders hold up for them.
I cant wait for this older dark age era generation to die off so there will be a chance for reason and understanding, not scare tactics against the “devil drug” that I have been safely enjoying for many years.
Oh, before you critcize me as a young dropout stoner, I’ve been married for years, I’m an electronic systems analyst and engineer. Oh yeah, I’ve also never blown a budget, unlike some NON-SMOKING groups we call the U.S. government.
marijuana IS NOT a gate way drug! if you want a real gate way drug look at alcahol. i cant think of anyone that got stoned before they got drunk. as far as being a dangerous substance look at the reserch. you cannot overdose on marijuana! but you can on any other drug that is perscribed or over the counter. marijuana has many benifits. it helps relieve many ailments. it is a wonderful and safe alternitive to a lot of medications that are addictive. i would also like to say that the war on drugs is unwinnable. no matter what penalties the state puts on it, people are still going to use it! why would anyone want to destroy peoples lives by giving them an arrest record for drug possession of a harmless plant? if we would tax it and regulate it like we do alcahol and tobacco, not only would we generate a lot of revenue for our state but think of the savings of keeping someone in jail which is thousands of dollars per person per year! this money could be used to fifgt real crimes or used for rehab for people that are hooked on other drugs. it can be used for education or to help the elderly get their medication they need. the use of marijuana is not going to go away! if you want to look at the facts on marijuana, there is a lot of reserch that has been done. it is time to stop the insanity of putting otherwise hardworking law abiding citizens in jail!
Also I don’t believe marijuana leads to other drug usage. I believe our state has an epidemic problem with prescription drugs like oxy cotin, that legalizing the use of medicinal marijuana will only help get more of those ‘proven’ harmful drugs (one that cause countless deaths) out of our youths hands.
Shelly Moore Capito’s response is discouraging, and ignores that fact that several organizations, including the NIH have stated that there are significant medical uses for Marijuana and that it is relatively safe. I would like to know what “larger dangers” she is alluding to and which scientific studies she cites as the source.
She also cites the violence associated with the illegal drug trade, but ignores the real cause of violence behind the market. If Marijuana was legalized, much of the violence associated with it would dissipate as well since there would be no risk to prevent regulated businesses from growing, manufacturing, and selling marijuana and there would be no risk for consumers who are legally allowed to purchase, use and posses it.
Further, the simple fact that pharmaceutical companies are working to replicate canaboids synthetically as a schedule II drug while keeping the naturally occurring, cheaply produced, and safe plant based drug classified as schedule I should make anyone truly concerned about health care and cheaper alternatives to at least reconsider the RE-legalization or marijuana. However, given Mrs. Capito’s support for the Pharmaceutical industry which we saw when she lobbied for then President Bush’s Medicare Prescription drug bill its not surprising the see here respond with these canned, outdated, and easily disputed “reasons” for not supporting a cheap and effective drug.
Marijuana is Not A gateway drug that is political propaganda that people have tried to use as an excuse for many years. Every American has the right and is entitled to have personal liberty and freedom without having the Fear of persecution or the Fear of being put in Prison to become a Hardened Criminal and then on top of that having your record or life ruined when you have done nothing wrong. The reason for Most Drug related Violence is Because of the Unconstitutional war on drugs itself that creates the market for profit by drug Cartels. If you prohibit or punish somebody for using a Harmless and actually very helpful and useful natural Medicine when people are sick or even for recreational use is 120% Wrong not to mention that alcohol and cigarettes are Legal when they are harmful and Marijuana is NOT. West Virginia’s economy would explode and be very prosperous considering all the useful products it provides. Americans age 18+ should be able to make their own choices its Our Personal Liberty.