RISE ABOVE LABELS

RE "REEFER Madness?" (Aug. 13): Using the word "stoner" is a little like
writing about someone who likes to drink alcoholic beverages and calling
him a drunk, or a rummy. Think about it. There is a leap to be made from
drinking wine to being a drunkard. It is assumptive to call someone a stoner.

Does Linda Williamson mark someone's entire identity based on the fact he
likes wine with dinner and refer to him as a wino? Imagine if she were
writing about alcohol prohibition and had written, "One drunkard wrote to
say ... " I mean, please. Have a little couth.

Try smoker or toker, much like we use drinker for people who like to drink
alcohol. It defines the act. And the really ironic part was that she used
the word "stoner" in the same sentence where she expressed her wish to
raise the level of discourse: "I do hope the level of discourse rises above
the note I got from a stoner." Simply brilliant.

Mike Rea

Phoenix, Ariz.

(Chill, dude)