Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Sound Off

Sound Off: Mississippi needs to legalize marijuana

Defenders of harsh penalties for drug possession say they’re necessary to deter people from using drugs and protect the public health. But despite the tough-on-crime push that led to the surge in arrests in recent decades, illicit drug use today is more common among Americans age 12 and older than it was in the early 1980s.
Defenders of harsh penalties for drug possession say they’re necessary to deter people from using drugs and protect the public health. But despite the tough-on-crime push that led to the surge in arrests in recent decades, illicit drug use today is more common among Americans age 12 and older than it was in the early 1980s. Ted S. Warren AP

Listen, heal

Police Chief Papania is correct. Anger, violence are societal problems. We need to listen and heal.

Great service

Kudos to Gulfport water and sewer people on a very fast report to our call for a backup problem. Both of you were great. Thanks!

Beautiful story

Anita Lee’s Jimmy and Phyllis love story was beautiful. A vet and a World War II nurse whose life story was inspiring. How blessed are Gulfport’s James and Phyllis Davis’ family. Their story was truly a Godsend for us all.

Love the whistle

I totally agree with Ms. Alawine’s letter to the editor. Don’t buy a house close to the tracks if you don’t want to hear the whistle. On the flip side, there are some of us who love the sound of the train whistle. When house hunting four years ago, one of the items on our wish list was being near the tracks. We in this household find the sound soothing and look forward to the trains coming through. Our only complaint is that the whistle doesn’t last long enough.

Danger!

Reading the paper the other morning I saw where Gulfport was busy with automobile wrecks Monday. Actually, I would think that would be normal for today’s world, caused by drivers who cannot get in their vehicle and drive without reading messages on their phones. I see it daily with phone-distracted drivers running off the road, weaving back and forth across the center line, hitting their brakes and slowing down while looking at the phone, running stop and yield signs while looking at the phone. It is dangerous to drive in today’s world.

Legalize marijuana

First off, the states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use have spent the extra income from taxes very well on schools and the homeless, among a list of other things. I must tell you, whoever you are, you need to educate yourself. Mississippi is one of the poorest states in the country. Why not have an increased income for our state to do beneficial things for our communities? People like you will have no choice but to accept it when it is removed from the controlled substance list. I say out with the old, in with the new. Legalize it!

All winners

We all won. This presidential election was a turning of the tide for the millions of Americans who have not had a voice fighting for them in Washington in decades and who showed disapproval of how the country has been governed over the past eight years. This was not a win for the GOP or the Democrats, it was a win for all Americans.

Send your Sound Off comments to soundoff@sunherald.com for consideration for publication.

This story was originally published November 18, 2016 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Sound Off: Mississippi needs to legalize marijuana."

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