Before you go after hemp, THC, consider the drugs that are truly deadly | Opinion
Here’s how we should treat cannabis
Making possession of hemp and cannabis a crime merely drives consumers and many using the drugs for medicinal reasons into the waiting arms of the black market and foreign cartels (June 24, 11A, “Texas Gov. Abbott betrays Republicans with nonsensical THC-ban veto”). Hemp and cannabis are not deadly, but some radical-right politicians gain the support of ill-informed voters by posturing and pretending they are.
Cannabis should be controlled by strict regulation and monitoring, as are drugs that are truly deadly yet still legal: alcohol, tobacco and opioids.
- Ed Miller, Austin
Look at alcohol ban first
I’m willing to consider Mark Davis’ points after we ban alcohol, which kills a lot of people in accidents. Weed products aren’t even close in causing deaths.
- Bob Childress, Haltom City
It’s going to cost more
Everyone who believes that Tarrant County will spend only $250,000 to defend its attempt to redistrict county precincts needs to go stand on their heads in a corner (June 18, 8A, “Absences force cancellation of Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting”). Elected officials have a responsibility to not purposely waste taxpayer money.
- Jesse D. Johnson, Crowley
Migrant’s story is not the norm
Bradford William Davis’ column about an immigrant who somehow slipped through the cracks is an attempt to make people believe this is the norm (June 25, 11A, “This Arlington resident has never been to Israel. Why is ICE deporting her there?”). President Joe Biden made our immigration problem much worse, hoping to increase Democratic votes. Immigrants in the country illegally are not welcome. Legal immigrants who follow laws and requirements can be allowed in.
- Ed Lopez, Fort Worth
Why is Cornyn after Biden?
At last, Sen. John Cornyn has found something to do in Washington. He passed on speaking up against unsuitable Cabinet appointees or cuts to cancer research and Medicaid. Exploding deficits are fine if it’s his team doing the exploding.
What really motivates our senator is backward-looking “investigations” of former President Joe Biden. While history will have no record of courage exhibited by Cornyn’s at this critical moment, historians may have trouble remembering which president’s mental fitness was being investigated.
- Rob Peebles, Dallas
Seek out those who disagree
Our personal view on politics is important. We tend to socialize and befriend those whose politics align with our own. In an effort to live in a community where we seek to understand and live in harmony with our neighbors, wouldn’t it be to our advantage to seek those whose politics differ from our own?
When we surround ourselves only with people who agree with us, how will we ever grow in our own understanding of the world or other people’s viewpoints? I’m not suggesting we must change our minds or our politics, but we might have the opportunity to live with more harmony and peace. A genuine sense of curiosity about how your neighbors want to live out their dreams, just like you, would be a nice aim.
- Jeremy Raines, Fort Worth