Editorial: "Viewer Feedback: Slippery Slope" - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Editorial: "Viewer Feedback: Slippery Slope"

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By Collin R. Gaston - bio | email

  • Editorials

  • Tuesday, May 21 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-21 23:20:08 GMT
    The horrific tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma this week bring back all too familiar memories for Alabamians as memories of April 27, 2011 are still fresh in many minds. When Alabamians were in need
    The horrific tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma this week bring back all too familiar memories for Alabamians as memories of April 27, 2011 are still fresh in many minds. When Alabamians were in need

  • Thursday, May 16 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-16 23:20:04 GMT
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;

  • Tuesday, May 14 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-14 23:20:07 GMT
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 
    •   
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

Our editorial focusing on the desire by some to legalize the use of medical marijuana in Alabama elicited a large number of passionate responses on wsfa.com: 

Here's a sample, "While it might be a little troublesome for the powers that be in Alabama to implement a regulatory system for marijuana, it will most likely be less expensive than incarcerating thousands of people for using and/or possessing a harmless drug. And if something being ILLEGAL is your big reason for not wanting lawmakers to consider medical marijuana, then how about proposing that they make it LEGAL."

Another responded, "Decades back when the illicit use of pot first came to public attention there quickly developed a "reefer madness" mythology; all kinds of "evil" were falsely attributed to the use of this drug. Very recently, however, a number of legitimate, peer-reviewed scientific studies have been published showing real dangers in using marijuana. These include increased potential for stroke, cancer and permanent mental impairment. Anyone using or contemplating the use of this drug should investigate it first."

And finally, "The use of marijuana for medicinal purposes is a violation of the fundamental rights of Americans. That is the reason that people fight to change laws, apparently, Mr. Gaston would rather that we live in a communist society, where we just blindly follow the orders of the government and not ask questions or speak up for our own interests."

As always, we encourage and appreciate your feedback.

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