STUDENT ENCOURAGES INTEREST IN NORML

I was very pleased to read Thursday's editorial regarding the
adoption of a legal limit for marijuana ("State should adopt legal
limit for pot," Oct. 5). Carter was right on the money in the late
'70s when he said, "Penalties against drug use should not be more
damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself."

I believe a decriminalization of sorts at Purdue would definitely
provide a safer alternative to the normal party festivities of the
general Purdue population. More than 50,000 deaths per year are due
to excess consumption of alcohol, while marijuana cannot cause death
by overdose.

It is important to compare the facts and make laws regarding what is
best for Purdue's population - and this is outlawing neither alcohol
nor pot, but instead giving a student the option to choose the safer
alternative if he or she chooses mind alteration at all.

Anyone intrigued in the slightest over the decriminalization of
marijuana would do well to look into the current legal status and
health statistics of marijuana compared to alcohol. Those who don't
wish to stop at research and were perhaps as pleased as I was over
this editorial should check out Purdue's NORML chapter and perhaps join up.

Help further the cause here at Purdue!

Raj Xavier

Junior, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering