I liked what you wrote. I’m a 50 yr old mother of 2 teens, and had bad car accident last year. I was hit head on by a “drunk” driver, and have a “non union fracture of the talus bone in my ankle. I am lucky of course to be alive, 1, and not hurt worse, 2. But it is a lifelong painful injury of the little ball joint in your ankle.

I have smoked for 35 years. I was on pain pills for about 3 months, until I could deal with the pain with just weed. This past spring, I decided to put some plants in my yard, and in August was busted for them. I strongly suspect I was “ratted” out, but it’s possible my 6 plants were spotted by the helicopter I guess. (the second cultivation arrest in the county, 2 weeks after another elderly couple) Although the cops treated me very respectably, I am facing a 5 to 15 year sentence here in Missouri. I was growing solely for myself. As it is an election year, it is very possible that the court will make an example of me. I own my own home and 3 acres, on disability, but work part time at a horse ranch. I am an otherwise law abiding citizen. I even wear my seatbelt! I pay my bills, and my credit rating is good. I am now being treated like a full blown alcoholic, addict. Because I have children, I am attending a 7 hour intensive treatment program. They are wanting me to “admit” that my life is a total mess because I am addicted to Marijuana. Of course that means I have made a wreck out of my life, and my children’s. I have a 16 year old daughter already attending college on FULL scholarship. I am a single mother, have been for 13 years. Apparently I sleep around, don’t take precautions, don’t work, and pay my bills. I will have to “make ammends” to all I have hurt because of my addiction. The people I ripped off, and f***ed over, let down, treated like crap etc. In actuality, I have helped more people than I’ve hurt, taken people in, helped people with horse related problems, fed people, been there when they needed a friend, and lent money, sometimes with no return, when I myself cannot afford to.

I haven’t been to court yet, Nov. 5Th is the date. The news papers say I was distributing, and one said to children on a school bus. I have an old bus RV, that was always an RV, never used for school children, with no engine that I let a couple of “adults” stay in for 3 months this summer. Oh yeah, some more people I allegedly screwed over. I also made sure they were not involved in the arrest, as it was all my doing, well actually my accomplis supplied the seeds, the rain that watered them, and the sunshine. His (or Her, or It) name is known as “God” to many! (Guess I can’t say that one in court here in the Bible belt!). Any way I liked what you wrote, and this prohibition has to end. I will not grow any more plants until it is legal to do so. I’ve had to quit smoking, as they are obviously testing me. I’ve had no problems with doing so. I would rather be able to of course, but I don’t “have a big empty black hole inside me” as described by true drug addicts. I have a life, sober or stoned that is quite full. Good friends, some straight who have never smoked. I can go to functions happily with out being stoned. I guess I must be quite a criminal, as I may go to prison for this offence, my first in 28 years. I am such a threat to society. I thank you for your commentary it was well said, and thank you for posting your email.

Sincerely
Nina Swain

puffypony@yahoo.com

The profit my county, Texas County in Missouri, is going to make off of me is astounding. They already are as I am in treatment. If I get “DRUG COURT” instead of prison,and seizure of my property (where I have lived and contributed to society for 13 years), which is possible, if not likely, the county will receive several thousand dollars to help build their new jail, and courthouse. I actually hope to get into that program, as I will at least be able to “exsist” here, with almost all of my cival rights stripped, such as they will be able to search my home anytime day or night. I will not be able to go further than 100 miles from my home. I will have to submit to random drug tests anytime day or night in my home. I will not be allowed any type of medication, prescribed or not, no matter how sick I may get, unless they send me to a psychiatrist, then I will HAVE to take those medications whether I want to or not. This just the start of it. I have never abused prescription drugs (as an adult!). I have an occasional drink, but not to excess or driving. On the bright side this program is only 18 months, and the charge will be off my record.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think in the 70’s, that pot would not only be still illegal, but that they would be actually more addament about busting people for it. Not just illegal, but a class A felony in my case. Like murder, rape, arson, armed robbery,etc. And what really makes me angry is that a fellow in the rehab class I go, to got busted for a meth lab, and he only got a class B felony!!!! They have allot of nerve saying they are really after meth, not marijuana, when 35,000 meth arrests were made last year (according to National Geographic), and almost 900,000 marijuana arrests were made! Actions speak louder than words!!!!! Then the officer was telling about this “super pot” thats out there now, a bunch of times more potent than pot was in the 70’s and 80’s. Why I wouldn’t want to see kids get a hold of that would I? I guess it might make someone eat more, and go to sleep faster. It’s still non-toxic. And where is this super pot anyway? I have not seen it. What I’ve seen around here doesn’t hold a candle to what I smoked up in New England in the 70’s and 80’s. I used to say “eat your heart out High Times”! So as far as I can tell thats just another lie. I think they are brainwashing law enforcement to make them think they are helping society with these marijuana busts. I just found an interesting site, LEAP. Law Enforcment Against Prohibition, check it out, quite interesting.

P.S. Government: I would pay ridiculously high taxes for weed. Let’s say that I paid $100 for a quad, and you taxed me 25%… You just made $25! Now sell me 8 of those quads in a month and you just made $200. Multiply that by the 30+ people I know who smoke just as much and you’re looking at $6,000/mo ($72,000/yr) from just one small niche of kids in one small state. The amount of money that could be made could be used to do something about this oil problem. USE YOUR HEADS!