Editor, Daily Nexus,

I have never written a letter to the Daily Nexus, but I finally have the motivation after reading Antony Mascovich’s letter to the editor (“Hypocritical A.S. Reps Use Student Body as Piggy Bank,” Daily Nexus, Jan. 16). Apparently, this Gaucho alumnus is upset that Associated Students Reps like Bill Shiebler are whining over the $480 University of California fee hike, even though A.S. recently endorsed a $300 lock-in fee increase. He is specifically upset that the recent fee increase has been used to fund an organization that wants to legalize marijuana. Before you think, “fuckin’ lazy, nappy-haired stoners just want to get stoned,” let me tell you that I am writing this letter to educate Mr. Mascovich about how The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) at UCSB is using this money to lower tuition. I would like to invite you and any other uneducated squares to attend the 3rd annual Isla Vista Joint Rolling Competition Revival on Saturday, Jan. 27 at noon in Anisq’ Oyo’ Park.

A.S. Finance Board didn’t just fund this event to educate the community about rolling sick tulip-shaped joints. A.S. funded an event that will educate the community about the billions of tax dollars that can be generated from a recreational cannabis tax. Before Mascovich graduated, he should have taken Econ 1 with professor Crouch. Taxing the biggest cash crop in the country would surely provide necessary funds for law enforcement, medical treatment and education – a means to lower student fees. Aside from educating others about the necessary economic benefits for the state, the Joint Rolling Competition will be a medium to shine light on the environmental benefits to be gained from legalizing industrial hemp and the social benefits from legalizing medical marijuana. I ask you to come to this event, watch some bands, maybe roll some fatties and, please, educate yourself about the most beneficial and most misunderstood plant known to mankind.