LAUGHABLE VIEWS

Robert Maheu's laughable response (letter, "Druggies' burden," April 30) to
a previous editorial doesn't deserve to be taken seriously. Nevertheless,
certain of his assertions beg for a reply.

Most important, he states that he doesn't want the country overrun with
drugs. But we're already overrun with legal and prescribed drugs. Just
watch TV or read almost any magazine.

Secondly, abusers of legal and illegal drugs already "pay the price" for
their abuse.

Prohibited drugs already are readily available. What makes anyone think
there will be more general use or abuse if these drugs are legally
available? To a certainty, however, there will be far fewer pushers out
there playing the devil's role.

Gerald Sutliff
Emeryville, Calif.