* Re "Davis Fights to Suspend Licenses in Drug Cases," May 24: I think
it's disgusting that California Gov. Gray Davis is seeking to revive
William Bennett's "smoke a joint, lose your license" law. The law was
created at a time when the former drug czar felt a need to "create
consequences" for marijuana smokers.

Consequences like denying them the opportunity to function as
productive, taxpaying members of society.

Enough Americans have smoked marijuana to know that the government has
been lying about its alleged adverse effects for years.

Make no mistake, this is not about protecting the health of Americans.
We don't incarcerate tobacco smokers, skydivers, alcoholics or people
with poor diets.

Marijuana prohibition has always been political.

Davis is making the same mistake as Vice President Al Gore in
perpetuating reefer madness.

By pandering to the conservative right, Democrats are alienating their
core liberal constituency. This bleeding-heart liberal will not be
voting Democrat come November.

Robert Sharpe, Students for Sensible Drug Policy,
Washington