SAY 'REFORM,' NOT 'LEGALIZE'

Thank you for John Toivonen's fine article explaining how Gary Reams'
Libertarian campaign for lieutenant governor will help to reform Virginia's
marijuana laws ["Joint Referendum," June 26]. I do need to correct one error.

The headline suggests that the purpose of the campaign is "to legalize
pot." That's certainly one way to improve the current law, but it's not the
goal of the Reams Reeferendum. We want the votes of every citizen who
agrees that the law has gone too far and should be reformed. Once consensus
is reached on that point, we can decide on specifics.

Some people want distribution only through pharmacies, by prescription, for
medicinal purposes only; some suggest a government monopoly, as we have
with liquor; some want strict regulation, as we have with beer; some want a
totally free market. Some people would like to buy birdseed with hemp in
it, which would be illegal under current law. Any of these scenarios would
be better than the tragic farce we have now.

Roy B. Scherer