Letter to the editor: Just say ‘No’

This is extreme in most cases and in general the alcoholic that is addicted is not addicted to Makers Mark or 30-year-old Scotch that costs $50 a bottle. He can always go buy a six pack and have a beer for a buck.

Marijuana may start as a social activity and in many cases may remain just that; however we, as different people, react differently to stimulation of the pleasure center of the brain.

Socially, folks may do a little weed then maybe they drink to get a little more loaded, later enhancing the joint with a little coke. Do you think for a second that heroin users started out thinking “I’m going for the really hard stuff right off the bat”…. do you think they started doing meth or crack…. hardly.

The big difference here is they are using progressively more expensive products. Unlike alcohol and a buck for a beer, they are using very expensive dope. So the rate of transformation from marijuana to more expensive drugs is very high. To support this the user that is not financially well endowed will start doing illegal things…. stealing his neighbor’s lawn mower to sell it… or hooking up to his neighbor’s fifth wheel ttailer and loading up farm equipment to sell in Idaho — it happens!

In short, city and county governments should start now to budget for a bigger NORCOR and to build larger rehab facilities. Maybe CGCC and President Toda can start a new drug rehab training facility to support this new economy…

This is where your tax dollars are going to go.

Just say “No Thanks” to any of it. It’s still against FEDERAL LAW! Say no to the STATE. Tell them it’s against FEDERAL LAW.

Jack Hay

The Dalles