Dear Editor:

Tonight, Marathon County Board of Supervisors will discuss a resolution “to conduct county wide advisory referendum on legalization of medical marijuana.”

I urge all the readers of this email to contact your county board supervisor http://www.co.marathon.wi.us/Government/CountyBoard/BoardofSupervisors/Members.aspx with your opinions regarding this issue particularly if you believe as I do, that legalization of medical marijuana is one step closer to legalization of recreational marijuana. If you don’t believe me, check out this website of www.NorthernWINORML.org a regional chapter of THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE REFORM OF MARIJUANA LAWS.

NORML is “actively” recruiting county boards to pass these resolutions in order to push the state to put a medical marijuana resolution on the statewide ballot in the future. NORML advocates say this activist endeavor is to give people a vote through the referendum process and has nothing to do with future legalization of recreational marijuana. I find that hard to believe since NORML Treasurer is recently quoted as saying “through networking, communication and hard work he believes the reform of marijuana LAWS will progress quickly and we will be one step closer to global peace.” Am not sure what having people high on marijuana has to do with global peace.

The most interesting part of this resolution is that Marathon County taxpayers have funded millions of dollars for drug abuse treatment including marijuana and for law enforcement to take drug peddlers off the street. WHY would the taxpayers of Marathon County want our elected officials to actually support making marijuana legal in any form for which K9 units are specially trained to identify? The whole picture doesn’t make sense to me.

Legalizing marijuana is a national effort and will continue to undermine the integrity of this country. We have seen the glorification of marijuana but please do your research. It is the choice of very young users. All the research from prestigious healthcare organizations including National Institute of Health (NIH) outline the debilitating effects of marijuana use. Readers should be aware legalizing medical marijuana also gives potential abusers the right to use medical reasons for a defense when picked up for operating a vehicle while on marijuana or committing other crimes.

I could outline more information but am urging people to look at the real facts about marijuana and not blindly follow the supporters who use sympathy for those who are ill or in pain. There is MUCH more behind the story of legalization of medical marijuana.

Joanne Leonard, Wausau

Editor’s note: The views of our readers are independent of this newspaper and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Pilot and Review. To submit a letter, email [email protected] or mail to P.O. Box 532, Wausau, Wis., 54402-0532.