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r. r <br /> '97 JU, 20 Pi, 2 CO <br /> CGU, , , <br /> <br /> Janet Publico COUM Y U} HA~NAIf <br /> <br /> Papaikou <br /> <br /> June 13, 1997 <br /> Deaz Council Chairman and members, <br /> I would like my testimony to be part of the record of the Council and placed on the Council <br /> agenda for discussion. I feel that the benefits of marijuana aze many, and that it is being <br /> demonized to a great degree. I do not believe it is the gateway drug because mast people have <br /> tried mazijuana, and most people did not go to hazdet drugs. Truthfully, making marijuana illegal <br /> has only pushed more of our people into hazder drugs because they aze inexpensive and available. <br /> I am very worried about our people accidentally getting hooked on crack or ice, because it leads to <br /> thievery and violence. Marijuana leads to peacefulness, unless someone keeps ripping off their <br /> plants. Anyone would get mad if they put the time and love into growing a little herb, and then it <br /> gets stolen again and again. The police talk about booby traps, but I have never personally known <br /> anyone who has booby trapped their plants, but I know of a lot of nice people who have tried to <br /> grow over and over only to get their plants stolen. <br /> I think it is time to listen to what the people really aze saying. Most of us shake our heads that <br /> alcohol is legal and marijuana is not. We tell our horror stories of violence which was caused by <br /> alcohol. Personally, I don't enjoy alcohol because it makes me uncoordinated, loud and sloppy; <br /> but it is supposed to be good for you to drink occasionally to relieve stress. Mazijuana, on the <br /> other hand, does actually relieve stress. It can actually break through chronic depression and <br /> lethazgy, and add meaning to lonely, workaholic lifestyles. Still the police continue to thrive on <br /> eradication efforts, focusing our attention on booby traps and away from reality. <br /> I think it is time for a change of thinking, and a lobbying of the Legislature to change bad laws. <br /> Based on President Clinton's Executive Order making hemp a strategic plant, we should at least <br /> amend the Hawaii Revised Statutes to allow for the growing of industrial hemp. I have seen <br /> beautiful materials made from hemp, I have heazd of strong boazds made of hemp, I have heard of <br /> the oil which is superior as a food, which is superior as a lamp oil, superior as the wick in the <br /> lamp, superior as roap, canvas. I have heazd it is useful in medications; and I can attest it is also <br /> useful as a cure for chronic depression and lethazgy. Possibly people who aze never depressed <br /> will never need to smoke mazijuana because they aze not lethazgic in the first place; but for those <br /> of us who feel stress and depression, mazijuana is the only thing we ever want. You don't have to <br /> worry about it being a gateway for me because, as I said, I don't even like alcohol because it <br /> makes me [oo drunk, and I don't like getting my brains scrambled. <br /> People that go to hazder drugs like crack and ice either have serious emotional problems, or they <br /> accidentally try it out of curiosity and get hooked. I am very worried about school children trying <br /> it because it is so available, and accidentally getting addicted, and ruining their lives. I am not <br /> womed that they will try booze because most of us adults remember the thrill of trying alcohol <br /> when we weren't old enough to drink, but doing it because it was a party, and it was sort of fun to <br /> (,omn. l+li V <br /> Plle Ifo. <br /> Ref. Tbt~„, <br /> Ret. JllN 2 p 1997 <br /> <br />