Pompo

Yes we cannabis? No, Mr. Representative, Hawaii and Maui can’t afford pot shops
11/30/08|The Maui News| by George Fontaine - Letters to the Editor

The people of Hawaii are compassionate people. When the idea of medical marijuana was presented, many citizens heard the case made by medical marijuana proponents that a controlled, legalized method of distributing marijuana to medical patients who were suffering from debilitating illnesses was a

sane choice and a compassionate alternative to traditional medicine.

Why would we deny those who are suffering or terminally ill relief from their hardship?

The reality is that medical marijuana has become nothing more than a ruse for drug dealing. Take for example what is happening in the state of California. In San Francisco the number of pot shops selling marijuana outnumber Starbucks coffee shops 66 to 61. The federal government has reported that the situation in San Francisco is completely out of control.

These so-called medical marijuana "patients" line up every day to purchase their marijuana at their favorite pot shop only to walk out of the store to sell it to teenagers and other non "patients" who are eager to purchase. The money is then used to purchase their real drug of choice - crack or crystal methamphetamine. Entire neighborhoods have been transformed into drug dens. Families don't feel safe walking or biking in their communities. Crime is out of control. I encourage you to watch your favorite cable news channel to see what's really happening to a community that has fully embraced medical marijuana and what the ramifications of this law have caused.

I read with utter disappointment and amazement The Maui News articles about the recent drug bust "Operation Weed killer" and the overwhelming support of our state Rep. Joe Bertram III for Brian Murphy, the alleged kingpin of this drug-dealing operation. Rep. Bertram not only denounced the police operation but also even physically stood by Murphy criminal in recent court proceedings.

Then in a separate Nov. 17 Viewpoint, Rep. Bertram attacked the fine men and women of the Maui Police Department for doing their job of removing a major drug operation operating under the guise of a medical marijuana organization in our community.

He further laid out his plans for decriminalization/sentence reform of our drug laws in the next legislative session. It appears that if Rep. Bertram had his way, pot shops would be as common as a neighborhood convenience stores. What would that do to the very fabric of our Hawaiian culture? Are you willing to let his experiment play out?

While some may argue that "real" patients have benefited, what has been the cost? Why have these proponents of medical marijuana ignored the fact that the active ingredient in marijuana, THC, has been available in prescription form for many years? Taken as a pill, and distributed by a licensed professional pharmacist, it provides the same relief and doesn't require growing a marijuana plant in your backyard and smoking a joint. I certainly don't want a neighborhood pot shop in my community and I am certain many of you don't either.

Rep. Bertram needs to reassess his priorities and make them in line to those of the community, like making sure we get a high school in South Maui, fixing our failing health care and education system, and coming up with real solutions to deal with a failing economy and our reduced state tax revenues.

Rep. Bertram, you were elected to represent all of the people of South Maui and not just medical marijuana users. Please do the job you were elected to do. The small minority of drug dealers and users can wait.

George Fontaine is a retired Maui Police Department captain and ran unsucccessfully against Joe Bertram III for the state House from District 11, South Maui.