MARIJUANA OPPONENTS FIGHT LOSING BATTLE

According to the USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll, support for legalizing
marijuana is at its highest level ever (''Marijuana attains record
support,'' News, Friday). But opponents of marijuana regulation continue to
claim that pot leads to harder drugs. This claim is a prime example of how
unscrupulous profiteers use the drug war's unintended consequences to
justify its continuation. There is nothing inherent in marijuana that
compels users to try harder drugs. However, marijuana's black-market status
puts its distribution in the hands of organized crime. As long as pot
remains illegal, consumers will continue to come into contact with pushers
of hard drugs.

Blaming marijuana for the counterproductive nature of marijuana prohibition
is extremely disingenuous.

Criminalizing consensual vices such as drug use creates a self-fulfilling
prophecy. With alcohol's prohibition repealed, liquor producers no longer
gun each other down in drive-by shootings, nor do consumers go blind
drinking unregulated bathtub gin. The drug war doesn't fight crime; it
fuels crime. Taxing and regulating marijuana is a cost-effective
alternative. Separating the hard and soft drug markets and establishing
enforceable age controls are critical.

Currently, kids have an easier time buying pot than beer. While U.S.
politicians continue to use the drug war's failure to justify its
intensification, European countries are embracing ''harm reduction.'' This
is based on the principle that both drug use and drug prohibition have the
potential to cause harm. Given the historical precedent of alcohol
prohibition, ''harm reduction'' should be readily understood by Congress.
Ironically, fear of appearing ''soft on crime'' compels politicians to
support a punitive drug policy that ultimately fuels organized crime and
violence, while failing miserably at protecting children from drugs.

Robert Sharpe, program officer

The Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation, Washington, D.C.

NO MORE 'IRRATIONAL FEAR' OF POT

I was not surprised to learn that the legalization of marijuana has
attained record support in the United States.

As people learn what I see as the truth about marijuana -- that it is
non-addictive, non-toxic and useful for a variety of medical ailments --
the irrational fear of it naturally declines.

As for those who are still opposed to the legalization of marijuana,
remember, every dollar spent on fighting marijuana is a dollar that is not
available for fighting real crimes, such as murder, robbery and arson. The
Marijuana Tax Act was passed in 1937. The prohibition of marijuana is
reaching retirement age, and retiring these counterproductive laws is the
only option for a free society to consider.

Kevin M. Hebert

Chicopee, Mass.