Heroic Teen Writes Sentinel in Favor of Cannabis Celebrations

October 15, 2009 by Ian
Filed under: Issues, Response, Update

My name is Jenna, I’m 18 and am from the Keene area.

I stand with my fellow “stoners” at 4:20 when I can on my days off from work. I read the paper and keep up with the media on this topic every day.

As to the article in the Sept. 30 paper, “Weeding out lawbreakers:” I was appalled as to what some of the residents feel should happen to us protesters, such as one resident called for the police to use tear gas, riot batons and Tasers on us.

Those sorts of actions have no place at the rally that is held at the common.

It is a peaceful protest and there has been no violence. Why should we have those used on us when we are simply standing for what we believe in?

And if the police were to use tear gas, riot batons and Tasers on us when we are not out of control it would be police brutality.

This protest will continue and we will all stand together for what we believe in. Some say what we are doing is a mistake. Well, if it is a mistake, let it be our mistake to make.

What some people don’t understand is that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is no different than tea, coffee, or even tobacco. The chemical in tea and coffee is caffeine.

The chemical in tobacco is nicotine. The chemical in marijuana is THC.

Caffeine and nicotine have effects on the mind and body similar to marijuana, except caffeine can be addicting and your body has physical withdrawals. Nicotine is addicting and has effects on the brains as well.

I’m not a doctor so I cannot get technical, but marijuana is not addicting like caffeine or nicotine, and there is no physical withdrawal from the “drug.”

People drink coffee to give them energy. People smoke cigarettes for relaxation. People smoke marijuana because it is calming, similar to tea. I am speaking as someone who has been doing all of the three since I was about 11 years old.

How often do you hear of someone smoking a joint and going out and starting a riot? Or how often do you hear of someone lighting up then going home and beating his wife?

But how often do you hear of people doing these things while drinking alcohol? Alcohol is a worse substance than marijuana, but is legal to those over the age of 21 in the state of New Hampshire.

Also in the article, a resident stated “my prediction is that if you allow this to continue, someone is going to get hurt, either from a fed-up citizen or from the junkies.”

Excuse me, but since the protest has started there has been no violence, so if someone is to get hurt its not going to be because of us “junkies.”

This is a peaceful protest and if a fed-up citizen were to try and hurt one of the protesters, what could anyone make of it, except someone needs to hand that citizen a joint, light it up and take a walk in our shoes and free his mind of the negative feelings toward us and the plant.

And for you to call us junkies is out of line. A junkie is somebody who is addicted to a substance and lets the addiction control their lives.

Marijuana is not addicting and it does not turn people into junkies like actual drugs can do. I feel they miscategorize marijuana by calling it a drug. A drug is a manmade substance, not a naturally grown plant. Maybe alcohol should be placed in the drug category and marijuana taken off of the list.

I believe in what I stand for and I’m thankful to those who started the 4:20 gathering at the common.

It’s about time we speak out and express to those who are uneducated about the harmless plant marijuana.

JENNA SHEEHAN

322 Valley Road

Sullivan

http://warisimmoral.com Daniel J. Lakemacher

Well said, Jenna. It can be seen time and again through history that people such as yourself succeed in ending the injustice of tyrants by boldly and peacefully standing up for what they know to be right. The very fact that people have threatened violence against you only further evidences their inability to rationally justify why you should conform to their standards.

I commend you for your bravery and for your virtue, and I encourage you to continue to publicly defend that which you know through reason to be right.
Cathy

I cant say anything you wrote is wrong, because its the truth, but some people have lived there whole lives believing it was a "dangerous drug" and they were told this by groups of people they respected and believed in, so if you put yourself in their shoes you can see how its so hard to just except that its actually a harmless plant. Its less harmful than the alcohol they themselves have been drinking their whole life.

How can anyone see these facts and think that things are OK the way they are?

Deaths caused by:
Tobacco – 400,000 per year
Alcohol – 200,000 per year
Marijuana – 0

Yet we arrests people for choosing the safer choice, in tern pushing people toward a substance that kills an average of 200,000 people per year, and this is morally right in some peoples minds?

Not to mention prohibition has done far more damage than marijuana ever could, instead of controlling the substance and regulating it to protect our children we drive up the price by making it illegal, and then criminal groups get rich and sell it to our kids without checking ID. If the billions we spend every year has resulted in higher use rates and potency rates, and thousands of deaths, and regular working tax paying citizens being locked up and turned into tax burdens for the rest of us, then why in the world would anyone want to keep that bad investment going, especially when we could control it and reduce access to our own children and send the money to our states and county's instead of the criminal enterprises?

I don't get where prohibition supporters are coming from, were doing the absolute worst we can to control marijuana right now, this very moment, so isn't a change the very thing that is needed right now? What are people thinking?
http://freekeeeeeeeene Judah Ben-Hur

Good article, but to be fair nicotine is added to tobacco its not naturally there….
http://freekeeeeeeeene Judah Ben-Hur

Cathy: you said weed has caused zero deaths, then a few sentences later you say thousands of deaths?? do you mean by the war on drugs or using the actual drug?

although i do not agree with prohibition, you should at least be realistic, people who were high on weed have certainly died as a result of it, doing something stupid, crashing a vehicle, etc… you are putting your argument in jeopardy by ignoring reality.
LSNL

How many lives have been destroyed in the prohibition war against the people?
Mike R

I applaud this letter. I encourage the protesters to continue their peaceful demonstration. Those people who were spoon-fed and swallowed whole the last 40 years of prohibition propaganda are helpless, hopeless and useless as far as I'm concerned. I care for free-thinking, free-spirited and appreciatively free human beings.

I have no interest in the previous generation of programed automatons who accept other peoples word on "the truth" without any sort of investigation or personal experience. That kind of crap is for religion and religious fanatics – it has no safe place in politics and public policy. Marijuana is a safe, enjoyable and phenomonally useful plant. It does not kill people. It does not result in physical addiction. It does not a "gateway" drug.

How do I know these things? Did I spent half of my life studying to be a doctor? No. Am I some genious organic chemist or brain surgeon? No. Am I gifted with holy visions or do I commune with the Almighty? No. I'm just an average human being, with average common sense and a good amount of relevant, first-hand experience.

Weed is a good thing. Prohibition is thinly-veild tyranny. The side-effects of prohibition are orders of magnitude more dangerous and impacting than marijuana could EVER be.
Cathy

Judah Ben-Hur: Yes I was referring to the deaths caused by the high value of marijuana which is a result of prohibition.

You also may be correct about accidents happening while people are under the influence of marijuana, but the number is extremely small as I can not remember the last time I cracked a news paper and saw that someone had died as a result of marijuana alone, can you? Now when was the last time you saw alcohol involved in a death?
http://freekeeeeeeeene Judah Ben-Hur

cathy: i'm not going to argue with you, because i am on your side… i just think people should be realistic, or else their points with be passed off without thought. even if 95% of people who smoked weed instantly died, it still shouldn't be illegal.
Cathy

Judah Ben-Hur: No worries, no need to argue. Nice talking with you, have a great day!
theKINGofKEENE

Honestly, seriously, that's one of the best pieces of writing I've seen from you stoners…well thought out, well said…Jenna, keep up the good work! I'm proud of you, even though I don't agree 100%…You've got a good mind, & you use it well…we're looking forward to reading more of your writings…
theKINGofKEENE

Despite the fact that "Judah Ben-Hur* is some gentiles' wetdream screen – name, he also posts broken & bogus links. And, despite the fact that the tobacco co's *DO* grow genetically – modified tobacco w/ a greatly elevated nocotine content(mostly grown in Brazil, interestingly enough…)to manipulate corporate cigarette nicotine content; yes, nicotine *DOES* occur naturally in tobacco….Sorry, Judass…
Wiles

While there may be more than a "natural" amount of nicotine in the tobacco that Big Tobacco grows, nicotine definitely occurs naturally in tobacco.

Also, I would think that the word "drug" is defined properly as a mind-altering substance. This would place caffeine, nicotine, and THC all in the category of drug.

It's not that marijuana "isn't a drug" and "is just a plant" and therefore "should be legal". It's that all victimless crimes, including drug use of all sorts, are not morally wrong and do not harm others. We should take the stance that all drugs should be legal, not that certain, more benign, mind-altering substances are not drugs and therefore should be legal.

Other than that, keep up the great work everyone!
http://freekeeeeeeeene Judah Ben-Hur

you guys are right my bad. i don't post broken or bogus links. no reason to get your panties in a bunch your heiness
DamianN

To Jenna and the other peaceful protesters,

Great job! I have been following this story since the first reports and am proud of your courageous efforts.

My thoughts are with you as the days get colder. Keep gathering in the Common, bundle up and light up to keep warm.
Lpviper

Thank you, Jenna. I imagine you'll take some heat for writing such things, but I am personally quite proud of you for whatever that's worth
http://xrindustries.com xrazorwirex

<q>(1) : a substance recognized in an official pharmacopoeia or formulary (2) : a substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease (3) : a substance other than food intended to affect the structure or function of the body (4) : a substance intended for use as a component of a medicine but not a device or a component, part, or accessory of a device</q>

A lot of things are drugs; many plants like mint and comfrey (etc) are listed in pharmacopoeias as remedies for common ailments. It's not the (literal) label 'drug' that's bad, it's the indoctrination and negative connotations behind the use of the word. Notice how the government always says 'alcohol, tobacco & drugs', as if alcohol and tobacco aren't 'drugs' simply because they're legal substances; and of course, things like tylenol and aspirin are pharmaceuticals or medicine, not 'drugs'.
http://xrindustries.com xrazorwirex

Also, I noticed the link goes to a different article and I can't find this one on the Sentinel website. Anyone have a permalink?
John

Very well written. I do not agree with all that is done by way of protest, but you had a well structured, well argued point here.

My only big conflict is with the fact that regardless of what should or shouldnt be legal, pot is currently illegal. Use and possession can have serious affects on a persons future because of the way the somewhat broken legal system would pigeon hole you if you got dragged into it by being arrested. I wish you and all your real followers the best and hope you are someday sucesfull in your quest. Just be careful and do not ruin your futures by getting dragged into the "machine". Remember, it is always better to retreat and fight another day than to throw yourself into a battle you can not win today.
Lpviper

Yes, Jenna, bow before the almighty altar of the law perverted.

Because begging for 'change' from politicians is the best you can do, ok, citizen?

A very subtle advert for statism, there, Johnny. you ought to be proud of that one, you may have sucked a few people in with it, even.
John

Oh boy….now the VIPER has wandered over to this post…God help us all.

Do you have nothing but hate in all your comments?

Do you not believe in any of the basic ideas of tolerance and peace?

It is amazing that you seek to criticise even positive, well meaning comments and you take to task the young that try to address issues with intelligent thought and even handed discourse.

What do you suggest VIPER…a joint in one hand and a club in the other to beat an idea into the heads of those opposed?

I apologize to all of you here reading these comments that our disagreement on another topic has spilled into this one.

I would love it if some of the more level headed members of this site could counsel VIPER to be just a little more civil and less combative.

Once again, good job Jenna
Lpviper

I'll compliment you for a change of pace.

You are one of the smoothest trolls I have ever encountered.

Now wander back over to the other article and answer those 7 pesky questions.

I answered yours!
http://nhunderground.com Russell Kanning

interesting letter
theKINGofKEENE

…GEE, LPVIPER…I think that John guy is really *SCARED* of you…you've even got him *apologizing*…boot-licking little toady…PS: John, the law *ITSELF* is illegal…Prohibition was repealed because it's *UNCONSTITUTIONAL*…most "drug laws" are, too, which is why they were passed *AFTER* prohibition…the "Pure Food & Drug Act", (190?…) was a response to "snake-oil" sellers, & rampant OPIUM & *HEROIN* addiction…Heroin was given to the world by the Bayer, A.G. co. – a *GERMAN* chemical/pharmaceutical co., in 1880!!!…Notice how the Sentinel *ALWAYS* refers to cannabis as "…the drug…"…&etc….shiny, happy rainbow butterfly bubbles, or some shit like that, OK, LPVIPER???…
Lpviper

yes, shiny, happy rainbow butterfly bubbles, check
http://ringingliberty.com Paul

re: JOHN @ 6:14 pm

Nicely said, I am impressed by your position on this, and especially impressed that you cautioned care for practical reasons, rather than taking the "The law's the law! We must all obey it unquestionably no matter how immoral we believe it to be!" tack, which unfortunately seems to infect many people's brains.
Lpviper

Funny, I read John's position as 'follow the law in public so you won't ruin your life in the 'somewhat broken' system.'

This directly opposes civil disobedience, and directly advocates working within the 'broken' system to accomplish…what, exactly?

'Retreat…to fight another day'

As I told him, he is an excellent troll
Ofer Nave

Nice to see Daniel Lakemacher posting here! I heard you on the Complete Liberty and School Sucks podcasts. Hope you make the move soon.
http://campaignforliberty.com r3VOLutionist777

CAFFIENE IS A "GATEWAY DRUG!"
Vince

Is there a permalink? I'd like to see the comments on the Keene Sentinel website.
http://ringingliberty.com Paul

I suppose you're right LP, it could be interpreted that way too. I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he was supporting civil disobedience, but urging care.

You may be right, but people post enough blatantly awful, statist comments on here, at least it was something.
http://xrindustries.com xrazorwirex

Gandhi was totally wrong; civil disobedience never accomplished anything because it's illegal, and when it's illegal – it's wrong!

India was freed by begging parliament to leave them alone…..

…Revisionist history FTW!
Josh

I would simply like to thank John for continuing to engage in debate on these forums and in his change from angry, threatening belittlement to thoughtful interaction. Come down to the square some day and say hi. I'll be the first to admit this sort of thing attracts the shirtless, shoeless wiggers, but there are plenty of fine folks there. Programmers, an electrical engineer turned indy press agent, a proprietor and host of an internationally syndicated radio program, many regular working class men and women. There are of course teenagers who just want some free weed, but there also principled college students working crappy jobs to raise their lot in the world through lots of hard work and debt. Good folks all.