Editor: While the statement by the learned Magistrate concerning the decriminalization of marijuana may sound good from a humanistic point of view, I don’t agree with it in totality.

Yes, it doesn’t make sense arresting someone for one ‘spliff’ and sending them to jail, but think about the effects it would have on society if freedom is granted to plant and by extension smoke the marijuana. What a society would we have?{{more}}

There are some guys, as early as you would see them and as late as you would see them smoking marijuana. This of course will have a negative effect on them. With the freedom granted, young boys and girls too will smoke.

With the many effects such as brain damage and lung cancer, just to name a few, it will lead to a bigger problem – that of sniffing coke.

To support the craving for sniffing coke, many will end up stealing which eventually can lead to other crimes, namely, murder.

There is much more that can be said about marijuana and its smoking, but for the sake of space I will say no more, except to say that smoking is contagious and addictive.

We therefore cannot support the legalization of marijuana for it will destroy our nation.

Kennard King