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Legalize all drugs
All drugs should be legal at the federal level. There are more than 200,000 inmates across the country who are serving time for possession of an illegal substance and they must be freed.
Having possession or using drugs is a victimless crime and poses no threat to anyone other than to themselves.
The prohibition of drugs here in the United States has propped up violent cartels in countries all over the world to fill the consumption needs of Americans. It has brought about violence and that violence is funded by our money.
Bring the drugs out of the cartels’ hands and into the hands of actual doctors who can prescribe and teach the patient how to properly use it. It would allow the safe use of drugs and allow the consumer to know what’s in the drug they’re taking.
I believe it is high time people should be able to buy a product they want in a safe place and not have to go to a dirty alleyway to do so. That would also allow the government to regulate and tax the drugs like they do alcohol or tobacco. This would bring billions of dollars in revenue that is greatly needed for our rising deficit.
The government picking and choosing which mind-altering substances you can legally and illegally take is crony capitalism. It allows big pharma to produce and physicians to prescribe opioids that have killed people in the thousands, but I can’t grow a plant in my backyard or cultivate mycelium in my closet.
The legalization of drugs would allow all the non-violent drug use offenders to be released back into society to live their lives as they see fit. It would also allow all Americans to make their own choices on what they would like to do to help them cope with their life, whether it be a cup of coffee at the end of the day or a glass of marijuana-infused wine. Both are drugs and both should be legal.
Americans promote their freedom to the world on a daily basis; we should then be free to make our own choices about what we put in our own body.
Mara Dotollo
McAllen
Lockdown requested
Can we please issue another lockdown for South Texas? All I see in the news recently is how the coronavirus is setting new records daily. Whether it’s the number of cases or the number of deaths, it’s worse now compared to when we had our first lockdown, and yet no one has considered issuing another lockdown order.
If you go out at all, you will see why it’s now worse than ever. The stores are packed with people, they are not setting limits at all, and most people don’t abide by social distancing. Wearing masks isn’t enough when it’s the only thing being done to protect ourselves.
We know that a vaccine is coming soon. They should issue a stay-at-home order until the vaccine has been confirmed to work and is ready for public use.
South Texas has a lot of high-risk people in its population. Being complacent while the virus is getting worse is just wrong. While some people may not like it, the safety of the total population must come first.
The local government has a chance to prevent any more lives being lost or being put at risk. They should take it.
Deaven Cano
Mission
Get checks from China
Shouldn’t stimulus checks come from Biden’s China profits rather than from drained Americans?
Imelda Coronado
Mission
