The Democratic Party convention passed a resolution supporting the
legalization of marijuana and The Seattle Times gasps. How dare anyone
publicly challenge marijuana Prohibition orthodoxy. What will become
of all our sacred cash cows? ("Democrats' pot plan," editorial, June
16.)

You would have to be smoking some particularly "funny stuff" to ignore
these facts: Tobacco kills 450,000 Americans per year, alcohol
125,000, marijuana 0. Yet 12 million Americans have been arrested for
marijuana charges since 1970, with many going to jail and losing their
cars, homes, and even custody of their children. If you don't think
children can see through the hypocrisy of this "message," you are
seriously out of touch with the intellectual prowess of children.

Marijuana Prohibition is a counterproductive fraud. It is an
intellectually bankrupt policy that is causing far more harm than
legalized marijuana ever could. Hallelujah that the Democratic Party
had the courage to make this a public issue. I'm sure our mainstream
media will have to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into an open
debate on this matter.

Kevin Nelson,
Bow