WHAT ABOUT BOOZE?

After reading the Saturday, June 10, editorial, "Kentucky takes a
strong stand," concerning a high school senior in Kentucky who lost a
scholarship as a result of using marijuana, I find myself again
confused and upset about the ways of our society.

It isn't so much the young man's situation that troubles me (even
though I don't believe marijuana use to be felonious, and certainly
not a worthy excuse for scholarship denial), it's the "moral of the
story" at the editorial's end.

The editorial's end says that in order to succeed "you need to have a
good character." Are you suggesting that occasional marijuana use is
bad for a person's character?

If so, I have another question: Would you also say occasional alcohol
use is bad for the character? A large number of people in this country
don't consider the occasional drink a bad thing, but on the other hand
consider the occasional joint as a terrible, destructive habit.

It's about time that this country drops its false conceptions of
marijuana and moves into the light of day. We've been lying for too
long now.

I'm not about to go into all the details of marijuana though, nor
hemp: Its commercial/medical uses, its comparison to alcohol (alcohol
kills, marijuana doesn't), or anything else. If anyone wants to know
the facts on marijuana they can go to our public library.

I'm not writing this to give all of the facts, I only want people to
stop this craziness and see the truth of marijuana for what it is,
then they can decide what is bad for character.

SCOT LAFAIVE
Eau Claire